Coming OUT as a Person of Faith - Exhibit on March 7, 2013

Faith leaders launch "Coming Out as a Person of Faith" exhibit
Premiere on March 7, 2013; exhibit will travel to churches throughout Oregon

A multimedia exhibit premiering  Thursday tells the stories of faith leaders and people of faith who now  support the freedom to marry. The exhibit, a project of the Basic Rights  Oregon Education Fund, will travel to churches throughout Oregon.


WHAT: “Coming Out as a Person of Faith” exhibit premiere
WHEN: 5:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 7
WHERE: Augustana Lutheran Church, 2710 N.E. 14th Ave., Portland, Ore. 97212

Through film, audio, photographs and  writing, the exhibit shows how people from a variety of Judeo-Christian  traditions are on a journey of understanding, reconciling what they had  been taught about gay and trans people with what they have seen to be  true about their friends, family, peers and loved ones.

Gay and lesbian couples want to marry  for similar reasons as anyone – to make a lifetime promise of love,  commitment, fidelity and responsibility.  More and more people of faith  are coming to realize that the core principals of their beliefs are  leading them to support the freedom to marry.

“We are all children of god, and it  is not for us to judge or deny a couple willing to stand up in front of  their friends and family to make a promise of love, commitment, fidelity  and responsibility to each other,” said the Rev. Mark Knutson, pastor  at Augustana Lutheran Church. “I believe that that treating others as  one would want to be treated includes allowing gay and lesbian couples  to have the freedom to marry.”

When the exhibit is unveiled, clergy  and people of faith from various Judeo-Christian traditions will discuss  what they were taught growing up, how they reconciled their beliefs,  how they came out—in some cases as a gay or trans person, and in other  cases as a faith ally—and how they now support the freedom to marry.  Around 6 p.m., a short film, "Coming Out as a Person of Faith," will be  shown, featuring the song "Same Love," thanks to the generous support  from the nationally-recognized hip-hop and DJ duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

A group of volunteers and faith  leaders created the project with support from several organizations,  including the Community of Welcoming Congregations, Oregon State PFLAG,  Rural Organizing Project, Religious Response Network, Oregon-Idaho Reconciling United Methodists, Oregon Integrity, Freedom to Marry,  Mormons for Marriage Equality, ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation and the Portland Metro Chapter of ReconcilingWorks.

The exhibit is generously supported  by Macklemore, the renowned rapper, and his producer Ryan Lewis. It’s  also supported by Jessica Painter Graphic Design, Sprout Pediatric  Dentistry, Dawn DeAno Photography, Hollywood Theatre, Megan Cleary,  Andrew Todd, Bill Michtom, Morel Ink, Pushdot Studios, Wayne Sabbak,  Stacy Brewster, and the Basic Rights Oregon Faith Committee.

For more information: http://www.oregonunitedformarriage.org/

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