Left, the Shower of Stoles exhibited at the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago in 2007; right, one stole from the project.
A List
2/8/10
'Shower Of Stoles' To Be Exhibited At St. Lawrence University
CANTON - The Shower of Stoles Project, a collection of liturgical stoles and other sacred items representing the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of faith, will be exhibited at St. Lawrence University from February 15 through 19.
While the entire collection of stoles numbers over 1,000, the University will display 450, in the Sullivan Student Center, Owen D. Young Library, Dana Dining Center and Gunnison Memorial Chapel. The stoles represent religious leaders serving in 32 denominations and faith traditions, in six countries and on three continents. Each stole contains the story of a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender 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.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Jane Spahr will give a talk titled "The Stories Cry Out: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people in the Christian Church" on Tuesday, February 16, at 7 p.m. in Herring-Cole. The event is open to the public, free of charge.
Spahr is a retired Presbyterian minister who has had ministries in Pittsburgh, PA; San Rafael, CA; Oakand, CA; and San Francisco, CA. She also founded and served as the first executive director of the Spectrum Center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender concerns in San Anselmo, CA, and was the minister director of the organization That All May Freely Serve, traveling the country to speak with faith communities and at colleges and universities, and helping to educate and dispel myths concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Spahr has been on trial in church courts several times, and was recently harged again, for performing marriage ceremonies for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples.
-30-
More: Shower Of Stoles Web site
