The Rainbow Ministries International will kick off its new ministry to the LGBT community on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. at the John Thomas Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 2701 Reagan St.
The event will include the introduction of Pastor Linda Harris, formerly of Sanctuary of Love Church, who will be leading the Rainbow Ministries International. Pastor Bob Barker of Crossroads Community Church will ordain Harris, Janice LaCount and Alex Voss into the ministry. For more information, contact Harris at 469-222-3400.
AIDS awareness speaker set for UTA
Nursing students at the University of Texas at Arlington, in collaboration with the UT-Arlington School of Nursing and the Nelson-Tebedo Community Clinic in Dallas, will present a free program on AIDS awareness and sex education on Tuesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Maverick Activity Center.
The guest speaker will be Jay Friedman, M.Ed., whose topic will be "The J Spot, A Sex Educator Tells All." Friedman is a sex educator and award-winning writer.
The event is free and open to everyone. There will be raffles throughout the evening for iPods and gift certificates to area restaurants.
Soulforce seeks families for outreach
Soulforce is still looking for local families to help initiate a dialogue on LGBT issues with prominent Christian evangelists including Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas.
Paige Schilt, a spokeswoman for the national civil rights group, said no families from Dallas have signed up to participate in The American Family Outing, a project that will visit six megachurches across the country between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day weekends.
Schilt said Soulforce representatives plan to be in Dallas in March to recruit and train families for the project.
This weekend, Feb. 22-24, Soulforce will conduct training in Austin with the help of Jay Bakker, son of noted evangelists Jim and Tammye Faye Baker. Jay Bakker, pastor of an unorthodox storefront church in New York City, is know for speaking out from the pulpit on behalf of the LGBT community.
Schilt said five families from the Austin area have signed up for the project.
For more information or to apply for The American Family Outing, contact Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes at 512-419-0600 or jeff@soulforce.org.
Out and Equal DFW plans mixer
Out and Equal DFW Affiliate will hold a mixer/networking event featuring financial advisor Barney Grossman on Tuesday, March 11, from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Metro Grill, 4425 N. Central Expressway.
Grossman will discuss the tax inequities of being an LGBT person and how to minimize the negative effect of those inequities and use them to your advantage, and retirement planning for LGBT individuals and couples.
RSVPs are requested to Mark Quigley at quigleymark2004@yahoo.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 22, 2008