In God's House - August 12, 2007

August 12, 2007 - 1:00-2:30pm
Wesley United Methodist Church
San Jose, CA

Anyone is welcome! We have great panelists!!!!

Indeed,it's time to have a conversation about Christianity and the way the
church treats lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual people, many of whom might be hiding, closested, afraid even, to come out to the congregation, but have been embraced by God in love and acceptance.

Here is an opportunity to "Stir the soup," as Rev. Nobuaki Hanaoka, leader
in the United Methodist Church's reconciling movement stated on a recent
visit. Let's see what is revealed by "knowing the word of God, in the spirit of God and embracing all people regardless of race, color, gender or sexual orientation. The church is not just for ourselves. It is the tree that gives shade to all."

Nihonmachi Oureach Committee (NOC) and Wesley UMC are co-sponsoring his groundbreaking film and panel discussion which follows in the hopes of opening doors to communication, opening doors for Christian and non-Christian, and LBGT people to come together in fellowship and friendship.

Following the film will be a panel discussion with noted Christian scholars and
advocates. Among those who will be speaking are: Rev. Lloyd Wake, Rev. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, Rev. Elizabeth Leung, Oneida Chi and Rev. Nobuaki Hanaoka, who was featured in the film.

NOC and Wesley UMC invite all, Christian and non-Christian, to attend, learn,
listen, and participate in the discussion.

For further information, go to the NOC website and Wesley UMC's
website or call the church office at (408) 295-0367.

About The Panelists

Rev. Lloyd Wake is a Nisei who is an ordained United Methodist minister and a
leader in the Bay Area in matters of human and civil rights. He was also a
leader in the Japanese and Asian Caucuses of the church in the northern
California area.

He was born and raised in the Reedley and Dinuba areas in the Central Valley
near Fresno, California. After graduating from high school in 1939, Lloyd worked on the farm and played on the Nisei baseball team. He had assumed his role in the family of two boys and six girls was to take care of the farm for his
parents.

After World War II began and notices of the incarceration were posted, Lloyd
went to San Francisco to move the arts and antique inventory of his sister and
her husband who owned a store of imported goods. The articles were stored in the large family home in Dinuba. He and his family were removed by the government to Poston III Relocation Center, in Arizona during World War II.

Lloyd graduated from Asbury College in Kentucky, married and moved to Berkeley where he attended seminary. He was later appointed to Glide UMC and later the Pine Methodist Church in San Francisco. He retired in 1990.

Throughout his career, Lloyd has fought for social justice and putting an end to
discrimination, on any basis, whether it be race, class, gender, or sexual
orientation. He most recently spoke out in support of lesbian and gay families
and equality at a press conference in San Francisco's Chinatown this past May.
And at the threat of losing his ministerial credentials, Wake is one of the few
Japanese American ministers who will perform marriages between same sex couples.

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kuan is Associate Professor of Old Testament at the Pacific School of Religion and is a member of the core doctoral faculty at the Graduate
Theological Union in Berkeley.

Kuan was a member of the Task Force on Globalization of the Association of
Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and sits on the boards of
the Council for Pacific Asian Theology and the Wesley Foundation at the
University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Kuan's scholarship focuses on ancient Near Eastern including Israelite
history and on Asian and Asian American biblical interpretation. His interests
also include pedagogies for teaching the Bible in the local church.

He, like Wake has taken a stand supporting same-sex marriage, noting that, "as a person of faith of Asian descent, I stand in opposition to the oppressive
Asian cultural values and in solidarity with my lesbian and gay Asian American
sisters and brothers to fight for marriage equality." And, he has supported
his message using God's word in scripture.

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Leung was hired as the Coordinating Minister for the Network on Religion and Justice in the spring of 2007. Elizabeth was one of the original members of GRACE a decade ago. GRACE, Gay Asian Christians and Allies is a diverse and growing member-led faith sharing group. In partnership with others, Grace creates a safea and confidential space for gay and questioning Asian and Pacific Islander Christians, allies, and supporters joining together in community, social support, worship, prayer and spritiaul sharing.

Elizabeth completed her PH.D. at the Graduate Theological Union in Christian
Spirituality in 2006, and was ordained in the United Church of Christ in May
2007.

In this role she has responsibility for coordinating programs and events of the
Network on Religion and Justice for Asian Pacific Islander Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender people, facilitating community building among API-LGBT persons active in various faith traditions, convening an API clergy caucus and supporting strategies for education, outreach and social change. Her experience and gifts provide very valuable theological, programmatic and ministerial support in order to positively impact the lives of Asian and Pacific Islander LGBT people.

Rev. Nobuaki Hanaoka has ministered in the United Methodist Church his throughout his career serving in the Sacramento UMC, Epworth UMC in Berkeley, Calvary UMC and San Francisco UMC in San Francisco and recently retired in 2007. He has been a leader in the reconciling movement and influential in creating a safe place to worship for LGBT people at Bethany UMC in San Francisco.

Hanaoka was born on Dec. 25, 1944 and was a baby when that atomic
bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. He noted that the city was the site of the largest Asian Christian population, stating over 8,500 Christians were incinerated in the blast, The radiation he suffered has created health issues, but hasn't stopped him for being a staunch advocate for social justice with a focus on LGBT issues.

The Filmmaker
Lina Hoshino is a filmmaker and new media designer whose films, including the award winning"Story of Margo" and "Caught in Between: What to Call Home
in Times of War (www.caughtinbetween.org), have screened in England, Finland, Japan, Portugal, Sweden, and beyond.

As a co-founder of IEEHA (Institute for Equity, Ecology, Humor and Art) and Tactile Pictures, Lina has led creative and design efforts for many community organizations, including: the Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action, the National Japanese American Historical Society, Asian Improv, the Chinese Historical Society of America, and the Japanese Women's Active Museum for War and Peace.

A self-described JABC (Japanese American Born Chinese from Taiwan), Lina grew up living in the U.S., Japan, and France. She studied painting and sculpture at Carnegie Mellon University, and is currently an instructor at Center for Digital Storytelling.

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