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Shower of Stoles: Every Stole Tells a Story
Emmanuel Lutheran Church will display fifty Liturgical Stoles from the Shower of Stoles Project (WelcomingResources.org/sosp.htm) in our Sanctuary and Community Room from June 2nd through June 23rd, 2013. A Liturgical Stole is the story-scarf that ministers and priests wear draped around their shoulders on top of their robes. Each stole tells a story.
The Shower of Stoles Project is a collection of over 1,000 Liturgical Stoles representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people of faith. These religious leaders have served in thirty-two denominations and faith traditions, in six countries, and on three continents. Each stole contains the story of a GLBT person who is active in the life and leadership of their faith community in some way: minister, elder, deacon, teacher, missionary, musician, administrator, or active layperson.
This extraordinary collection of Liturgical Stoles celebrates the gifts of the GLBT people who serve God in countless ways, while also lifting up those who have been excluded from service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The collection bears witness to the huge loss of leadership that the church has brought upon itself because of its own unjust policies.
There will be an Opening Reception with refreshments on Sunday, June 2nd. Area residents and out of town visitors who are in Rockford for the Rockford Pride Fest (RockfordPrideFest.com) on June 1st and 2nd, 2013, are invited to our Emerging Church Service on Sunday, June 2nd from 10:15 a.m. To 11:15 a.m. Everyone is invited to stay after for the Shower of Stoles event Opening Reception at 11:30 a.m. Attending Emmanuel’s church service is optional. This event is open to the public.
During the June 2nd Opening Reception there will be a continuous showing of So Great a Cloud of Witnesses. This documentary is a moving portrayal of the individual people whose stories are behind the creation of the stoles. It also tells how the Shower of Stoles Project began, and of the impact it has had since its founding in 1996. This film includes stunning photos of many of the stoles that are currently part of this traveling exhibit.
Exhibit Schedule: Until June 23rd the Shower of Stoles exhibit will be open for viewing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon.
Presented by Art@Emmanuel and the RIC Task Force. Poster by Mark Bond (TimeAdded.com). Questions about the Opening Reception and the exhibit may be answered by calling the church office (815-963-4815) during normal business hours.
Emmanuel Lutheran Church (EmmanuelLutheranRockford.org) is a Reconciling in Christ congregation which means that we warmly welcome openly GLBT seekers and believers of all ages as well as their families and friends.
This event was covered by the Rockford Register Star (rrstar.com/go/x863232223/Rockford-church-to-display-stoles-that-tell-stories-of-LGBT-people) on May 26th, 2013.
| Download a high-resolution copy of the poster. |  Poster by Mark Bond (TimeAdded.com) |