Author | Lightnews

Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 1d

WE SHARE the distress caused by the CofE House of Bishops’ decision not to progress plans for blessing same-sex relationships. We invite CofE members to respond by signing the Inclusive Church open letter calling for courage, compassion, and justice: inclusive-church.org/llf-open-letter

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 1d

ARE YOU a member of an Open Table community? If so, we’d really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete a short survey about what your Open Table community and the Open Table Network mean for you: bit.ly/OTNmembersurvey25

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 2d

'WORKING FOR JUSTICE, championing the belief that all people are made in the image of a loving God, and worthy or respect and dignity is the work of all God’s people for all people' - Jennie Johnson, Racial Justice Officer, CofE Diocese of Liverpool's #BlackHistoryMonth reflection: bit.ly/OTbhm1025

Jennie Johnson, Racial Justice Officer for the Church of England Diocese of Liverpool and Liverpool Cathedral.

A portrait of Mavis Best. SOURCE: Black History Month.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 4d

THIS WEEK: Sarah Jones, first person ordained in the CofE after gender transition, touring UK with #EverydayNormal. Laugh, reflect, explore what it’s like to be trans today. Liverpool venue: the church where Open Table began. BOOK NOW 🎟️ticketsource.co.uk/sarahjonestoo

Revd Sarah Jones in black clerical dress holding a sign saying 'Come Out For Trans Equality'.

Revd Sarah Jones in clerical dress holding a microphone.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 5d

TODAY is #IntersexAwarenessDay!
#Intersex is the 'I'” in #LGBTQIA+
What is the definition of 'intersex'? How common is it? How would I know if I were intersex? These and other FAQs answered here: interactadvocates.org/faq

The intersex flag with a yellow background and a purple circle in the centre. In the circle is a smiling face emoji. Coming out of the circle is a white 'thought bubble' with a purple question mark.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 5d

TODAY our communities in Nantwich, Nottingham, Wigan and Wirral - Heswall gather.
Check out our communities page for details: opentable.lgbt/our-communities
#ComeAsYouAre #FaithfullyLGBT #LGBT #Christian #Church

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 7d

ONLY TWO places left for our #LGBT+ #Christian retreat in beautiful north Wales 7-10 Nov. A weekend of rest, reflection & community. Watch ‘The Silence and the Light’ for a taste of what awaits 🎥 youtu.be/-7j9DC4jL5w [10mins]. READ MORE & BOOK NOW: bit.ly/BeunosRetreat25

St Beuno's Spirituality Centre in daylight with a view of the valley beyond

A veiw of the valley from St Beuno's Spirituality Centre

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 8d

AWESOME consultation meeting last Sunday in #Blaenavon #Torfaen with Kieran our Director, exploring the need for an Open Table community there, and what kind of experience they want to create. Watch this space: blaenavon.wixsite.com/bethlehem-chapel #FaithfullyLGBT

Inside Bethlehem Community Chapel, Blaenavon

The entrance to Bethlehem Community Chapel, Blaenavon

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 9d

DON'T MISS THIS! Sarah Jones, first trans person ordained in the Church of England, touring UK with #EverydayNormal. Laugh, reflect, explore what it’s like to be trans today. Liverpool venue: the church where Open Table began. BOOK NOW🎟️ticketsource.co.uk/sarahjonestoo

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 9d

GREAT ENERGY at Saturday’s trustee meeting at our new HQ, Liverpool Parish Church. We spent the day shaping our #TheoryOfChange - mapping how what we do helps LGBTQIA+ people of faith. We're updating research into our imapct too - here's what we already know: opentable.lgbt/our-impact

OTN Co-Chair Carol takes a selfie as OTN Director Kieran prepares for the trustee meeting in the refectory at Liverpool Parish Church.

Mapping the Open Table Network's Theory Of Change with post-its and notes on a white board.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 12d

TODAY 2-4pm: Open consultation in #Blaenavon to explore the need for an Open Table community there, and what kind of experience they want to create.
You're #MoreThanWelcome to join us: bit.ly/OTconsultBlaenavon
#ComeAsYouAre #FaithfullyLGBT

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 12d

TODAY our communities in Birmingham, Cambridge, Kendal, Lincoln, Liverpool, London - West Hampstead & Salford are gathering. FFI: opentable.lgbt/our-communities
#ComeAsYouAre #MoreThanWelcome #FaithfullyLGBT

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 13d

TODAY our charity trustees are meeting in Liverpool to review our work in 2025 and plan for 2026 and beyond.
#PleasePray that we might give #GloryToGod who 'can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine'.
#PrayForUs #FaithfullyLGBT

The Open Table prayer: Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, among us, in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 14d

IT'S #HateCrimeAwarenessWeek
Trans people are more likely to experience threats of physical or sexual harassment or violence compared with LGB people, yet most do not report #HateCrime they experience. StopHateUK wants to change that - READ MORE: stophateuk.org/about-hate-crime/transgender-hate

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 14d

IT'S #HateCrimeAwarenessWeek
Less than half of LGBTQ+ people feel safe holding a partner's hand in public.
Everyone deserves to live free from fear.
That's why Stonewall is campaigning for LGBTQ+ safety. Find out how you can stand against hate: stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/hold-my-hand

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 15d

OCTOBER is #BlackHistoryMonth
In 2021 we hosted a webinar with former OTN trustee Revd Augustine Tanner-Ihm and Revd Jide Macaulay, founder and CEO of House of Rainbow, a safe space for the spiritual growth and inclusion for #Black #LGBTQ+ people: youtu.be/Ecqvj0xZRaU [58mins].

Revd Jide Macaulay and Revd Augustine Tanner-Ihm

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 16d

THIS SUNDAY 19th October 2-4pm: Open consultation in #Blaenavon to explore the need for an Open Table community there, and what kind of experience they want to create. You're #MoreThanWelcome to join us: bit.ly/OTconsultBla...
#ComeAsYouAre #FaithfullyLGBT

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 18d

LOVELY launch of our new community in #Horsham #WestSussex last night. 38 people gathered for a Communion service and refreshments - an excellent start!
Watch this space for future gatherings: cornerstone-mc.org.uk

Many of the members of the new Open Table Horsham community gathered on the sanctuary of Cornerstone Methodist Church after the launch service.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 19d

TODAY - Launch of our community in #Horsham #WestSussex
4.30pm Communion service followed by refreshments.
OTN Director Kieran will lead a reflection on the Open Table story.
READ MORE: bit.ly/OThorsham1025
#ComeAsYouAre #MoreThanWelcome #FaithfullyLGBT

Come As You Are - You're more than welcome here @ Cornerstone Methodist Church, Horsham, West Sussex.
LOGOS: Open Table & Cornerstone Methodist Church.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 19d

TODAY 18 Open Table communities meet:
Bath, Canterbury, Chester, Colchester, Fareham, Haverfordwest, Leyland, London: Bromley, Wanstead & Waterloo, Ormskirk, Sefton, Sunderland, Taunton, Warrington, Widnes & Wirral: New Brighton PLUS our new community in Horsham. FFI: opentable.lgbt/our-communities

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 20d

'BLESSED are the closeted;
God sees you shine anyway.'
#ComingOutDay seems like a good day to share award-winning trans poet Jay Hulme's verse, 'Beatitudes for a queerer church', read by OTN Patron Alex Clare-Young: youtu.be/TRrWCGikb6E [1min]

Alex Clare-Young reading the poem. The subtitle says 'Blessed are the scared; the scarred, the silent.'

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 20d

TODAY is #ComingOutDay
In October 2020 we published a worship video taking #ComingOut as our theme, including #BritishSignLanguage #BSL & captions.
The video is still on our YouTube channel if you missed it or want to watch again.
WATCH: youtu.be/aFE11T1npTA [29 mins] #NCOD25

OTN Director Kieran leading an online reflection for Coming Out Day standing in front of a stained glass window. Subtitle says 'Coming Out Day is not just designed to help people feel comfortable about coming out'. A BSL interpreter is in the bottom left of the screen.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 20d

‘YOU'RE NOT… what you thought, ok?’
TODAY, 11th October, is marked around the world as #ComingOutDay.
In 2023 Wendy Young shared her story of #ComingOut as a #queer #Christian and the inspiration of former worship music singer Vicky Beeching: bit.ly/ComingOut1023

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 21d

ONLY a few places left for our LGBT+ Christian weekend retreat in north Wales, 7-10 November. It’s usually fully booked by now - don’t miss this chance for rest, reflection & connection. Bursaries available if cost is a barrier. READ MORE: bit.ly/BeunosRetreat25

St Beuno's Spirituality Centre in early autumn.

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Open Table Network @opentablelgbt.bsky.social · 21d

THIS #WorldMentalHealthDay here's how joining an Open Table community makes a difference:
- Members experience 40% improvement in well-being
- 87% feel less isolated & more socially connected
- 92% said it increased their sense of belonging.
opentable.lgbt/our-impact #WMHDay

Statistic from OTN Research & Case for Support, June 2021

Quote from OTN Research & Case for Support, June 2021

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