Affirmation Needs You: Building Life Changing Communities through Local Chapters
As LGBTQ Mormons deal with the challenges of coming out, their most urgent need is a safe community. Communities where individuals feel unconditionally loved, wanted, and needed is one of the strongest protective factors against depression and suicide.
Community not only provides a sounding board where individuals can work through the difficult questions they face in figuring out how to navigate coming out, faith, and family; but continues to provide long-lasting networks and resources even beyond the vulnerable times.
In 2019, Affirmation is launching a new plan to provide a face-to-face community within a four-hour drive of 90% of the population of the U.S. and Canada. Our goal is to strengthen existing chapters and develop new chapters where there is a critical mass of Affirmation members, with a goal of 30 total chapters in the U.S. and Canada.
This plan will include stronger support for volunteers, more clearly defined roles, and service term limits (to prevent burnout). It will involve coordination that can enable many volunteers to contribute a few hours a month as opposed to a handful of volunteers doing all the work.
How to Get Involved
With a few hours of your time each month, you can make a huge difference in the lives of LGBTQ Mormons who need support!
We need volunteers in the areas of suicide awareness and prevention work, spiritual activities, social activities, service projects, dialogue, and community relations/outreach!
If you are interested, please send us a message using our contact page.
If you have any questions, call John at 612-790-0734.
Organizing Meeting
We are planning an organizing meeting for Sunday, February 17, 2019, at 1 PM Pacific / 2 PM Mountain / 3 PM Central / 4 PM Eastern. Please get it on your calendar and RSVP by registering for this event.
Even if you are not sure you want to get involved as a volunteer, but are interested in learning more, please RSVP and join us at the meeting! We will discuss our vision for community support, and would welcome your ideas and input.
Would love to be involved but flatly refuse anything the reeks of Mormonism or its doctrines. I am a x Mormon, rm, divorced living in Washington state.—I came out 2 years ago, now a openly and proud gay pagan/witch who is also a single father raising his 10 yo alone as a witch as well. I sit on Coalition boards, active in pride festivals and advocate on fb lgbt groups.
Hi, Tym. I can totally understand your hesitation. What is unique and beautiful, but no doubt sometimes challenging, about Affirmation is that those involved represent the spectrum of sexual orientation, gender identity, faith, and relationship with the church. While we’re for everyone, I can understand that we may not be for everyone. I hope you’ll consider attending the meeting and seeing how the discussion unfolds.
Hola familia: Me llamaré Ángel de la espada reluciente por el momento y vivo en Bogotá, soy católico practicante y tengo 59 años. Soy homosexual aunque no se me nota, o al menos siempre he buscado que no se note dado que me cuesta aún aceptar mi condición. Me gustaría conocer una comunidad donde se vivan los valores del Evangelio sin que se me juzgue y mucho menos se me condene por mi condición. Agradezco su orientación al respecto. Tengo una pareja estable hace cinco años. Solo hablo español.
Hola Ángel. Gracias por visitar la Afirmación y por publicar un comentario. Creo que muchos en nuestra comunidad empatizan con tu situación. Tenemos un sitio web y recursos en español. Por favor visítenos en https://afirmacion.org.
I live in Brisbane, Australia. This meeting will happen Monday morning approximately 6am our time. Although we live in the future, we have a really long way to catch up to the beautifully dynamic community I just spent 3 months with in Salt Lake City. There is a lack of everything where I live. Emails and announcements like this one, remind me of that point. I attend church and I’m a TBM. People who are single parent witches dont bother me at all. I’m glad they can get support. I too, am looking for support. If there is no one to support me, then I guess I need to create a space that does. I’d love to help. I have emailed people suggesting I could help. I have had no response at all. I’m not sure what my $25usd pays for each year. Disheartened, disappointed and discouraged.
Peter, thanks for your comment. While this meeting is designed specifically to strengthen chapters in the US and Canada, similar organizing will be happening in other areas of the world, including non-English speaking areas, in the future. We know that building these face-to-face communities is essential for everyone. If you’d like to take an active role in creating this community in Brisbane, please send us a message. Jordan McWhorter is actively helping individuals who reach out to Affirmation for support get connected to local groups and helping us with new chapter and leadership team organizing.
Peter,
We met at an Affirmation Meeting in Salt Lake while you were here. I was sadden when you had to return to Australia! I think of you often and hope and pray you will find what you are hoping for and that some day you will be able to return to Utah.