Workshops
WORKSHOP A – Friday, 1:30 – 2:45
Q & R with Rev. Liz Edman
This will be a chance for people to ask Liz some questions following her keynote presentation.
Rev. Liz Edman is an Episcopal priest and political strategist. She is the author of Queer Virtue: What LGBTQ People Know About Life and Love and How It Can Revitalize Christianity (Beacon Press, 2016). Liz has lived and worked on the front lines of some of the most pressing issues where religion and sexuality meet, serving as an inner city hospital chaplain to people with HIV/AIDS from 1989 to 1995 and helping craft political and communications strategies for marriage equality efforts. In 2017, she partnered with Parity to create Glitter+Ash Wednesday, a project to increase the visibility of progressive, queer-positive Christians and to explore Christian liturgy through a queer lens. Her writing has been featured in Salon.com, The Advocate, LGBT Nation, and Religion News Service. She has been interviewed for feature and news articles in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Sun-Times, and Religion Dispatches. She lives in New York.
Repenting of our Transgressions: Making the Church a Safer Space for Trans People – Beck Bauman
In this workshop, we will briefly address relevant terminology, before exploring the trans lived experience and how the church can be more affirming of trans people. The church has done a lot of violence towards trans people, and yet trans people continue to exist in the church, whether or not they can be open about it. We will discuss ways to make your church a safer place for trans people and ways to ensure that trans people looking for a church know that they are fully welcome in your community. Finally, we will break into smaller groups to discuss our responses to the content and ways we can help our churches become more affirming.
Beck Bauman (they/them) is a queer enby from Hamilton, where they enjoy making art and being trans. They are passionate about intersectional identities, education, and advocacy for a world in which poor, queer, trans, disabled, fat, racialised, and otherwise marginalised peoples can thrive. In their free time, they enjoy reading, dancing and singing along to music, and snuggling up with some Netflix.
Queer Celebration – Beth Carlson-Malena
As LGBTQ+ Christians, we often spend a lot of time defending our right to exist and serve in Christian spaces. This sometimes leaves little room for us to let loose and actually celebrate who we are as queer Christians, and the unique gifts we have. For some of us who have been mired in internalized queerphobia, it’s even hard to grasp what there is to celebrate!
This collaborative, creative workshop (originally pioneered by Marie Raynard at last year’s East Coast GS Retreat) will be a relaxed, light-hearted space where we can encourage each other, name and celebrate what we love about our LGBTQ+ selves, and record these things using words, images and colour, all while listening to a playlist of excellent queer musicians. Come excited to share and rejoice in the beautiful, unique aspects of being queer. (Note: This workshop is intended for folks who identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.)
Beth Carlson-Malena is one of the Co-Directors of Community at Generous Space Ministries. Read more about her here.
Sharing Spoons – Ash Skorobohacz
Spoon theory is a metaphor used to understand the way resources are limited for a person experiencing illness or stress. Sharing spoons is a way to encourage hope in one another and celebrate our resiliency by sharing the ways we have adapted to cope in difficult circumstances. Like ferns, we grow in hard places. We endure and survive in sometimes desolate environments. This workshop will be a chance to share and celebrate the ways we do that with particularly regard to mental illness, but also in a broader sense with all of life’s difficult circumstances. It will be interactive and focused on coping skills, so come ready to learn from our peers and if you’re comfortable, to offer us your wisdom.
Ash Skorobohacz lives with chronic mental illness and has gained immensely from sharing vulnerably. She believes talking openly about our stories increases awareness and reduces isolation and stigma. She lives in Hamilton with her wife Kathryn, and their two cats, Elliot and Gus.
The Queer and Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts – Robbie Walker
The Holy Spirit is queer, gentle, and full of fire–and at moment’s notice, she can mess us up! Come and explore the activities of the Holy Spirit in the earliest Church, and how the messes (s)he made then are still Good News for LGBTQ2S+ peoples today. Bring your Bible (if you have one), your questions, your curiosity, your playfulness… and perhaps your desire to know Holy Spirit better than you do now. There will be lots of opportunity for discussion!
Robbie Walker is working toward the PhD Theological Studies from the University of Toronto, focusing on embodiment in Queer and Pentecostal theologies. As someone who lives with cerebral palsy, Robbie seeks to apply Christian practices of nonviolence to healing ministry, and wants to be a Holy Spirit flamer–it’s biblical! Robbie’s not-so-inner geek waits eagerly for each new episode of The Voice, The 100, and Star Trek: Discovery.
Putting the A in LGBTQIA: Exploring the Ace/Aro Spectrum – Becca Sawyer
Asexuality and Aromanticism are often overlooked identities in LGBTQ+ spaces. This has led to a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about what it means to be ace/aro. So let’s start the conversation! In this workshop, we will talk terms, questions (both frequently asked and ones you shouldn’t be asking!), and experiences of people who identify on the Ace/Aro spectrum. This will be a great opportunity to learn about a vibrant part of our community!
*Note to folks who identify on the Ace/Aro spectrum: This workshop will involve a lot of educating and ‘Asexuality/Aromanticism 101.’ You are never required to do this educating or share your own experience, but we would be enriched if you choose to join us! I hope to create a space for you to be seen and to share your story but only if that feels good for you to do so.
Becca Sawyer identifies as a queer woman on the ace spectrum, and also calls herself an ambivert, an enneagram 2, and a humanitarian in the making. She is a graduate from Wycliffe College at Uof T with a Masters in Urban and International Development. Her thesis focused on home building with refugees and the narratives we tell about home. Becca is the Events Manager at Generous Space Ministries. She loves to travel, play her ukulele (Cecilia), and hang out with her dog (Presley) and fianceee (Mary). You can find her quoting Gilmore Girls, making up alternative lyrics to songs, and eating peanut butter cups on the regular.
WORKSHOP B – Saturday, 11:15 – 12:30
Sex Ethics Workshop I – Wendy Vanderwal Gritter
Many in the Generous Space community find themselves needing to reflect, revisit, and potentially reconstruct their sexual ethics in light of coming out, theological shifts, or evolving expressions of faith. This year, we will dedicate two workshop spaces to this important work.
In this first workshop, we’ll consider different factors that have influenced our understanding, convictions, and beliefs. With time for both individual reflection and collaborative learning, we’ll map where we’ve been and what continues to influence our discernment.
(FYI – There is a follow-up workshop in the next slot, which you are welcome but not obligated to attend. In the second workshop, we’ll focus on the values that energize our current decision-making. We’ll also do the work of integrating scripture, spiritual attentiveness, and desired outcomes.)
Dr. Wendy Vanderwal Gritter is the Executive Director at Generous Space Ministries. Read more about her here!
Writing Makes Hard Things Better — Even Therapy! – Michelle Dowling & Alejandra Lindan
If I find therapy hard and writing is easy, could writing make therapy easier? Can a fictional story reveal real world truth? Can imagined characters hold conversations I’m not ready to have? How do DBT techniques relate to healing from emotional and spiritual trauma? Wait, what IS trauma? What IS abuse? These are some of the questions Alejandra and Michelle have been working through. They’ll share the two-steps-forward-one-step-back journey of acknowledging trauma, exploring emotions and moving towards healing.
Michelle Dowling would rather sleep in a hammock than a bed, would rather cook over a campfire than a stove, would rather sit on a dock than a couch. Michelle grew up at an evangelical Christian camp and loved it, until it didn’t love her back. Michelle started OnePioneer in 2016 to advocate for full inclusion and welcome of LGBTQ+ people at camps. She started therapy in 2018 to deal with the accumulation of emotional and spiritual trauma she didn’t know she had. She is engaged to the most amazing woman in the world and can’t wait to get married.
Alejandra Lindan is a registered psychotherapist who works in youth day treatment and in private practice. Ask her what DBT and the Anglican rosary have in common— pretty rad (and nerdy) stuff! Alejandra is pan and recently left her non-affirming, beloved Christian community of 19 years. She’s still grieving and looking for a new spiritual home. Thea and Mark are her chosen family and home of homes. As a bumbling cis white settler, she tries, fails, and re-tries towards anti-racist and trans-positive allyship.
Body Narratives – Mary Pepper
What is your relationship with your body? It might be connective, energizing, tumultuous, scary, none of these, or all of these things at once. Maybe you don’t often think about your body. Maybe your body is always on your mind.
In this workshop we will explore some of the narratives we have about our bodies, and see how those narratives connect to those around us. We will practice fostering gratitude for our body’s resilience. Talking about and connecting to our bodies can be difficult, so we will be mindful of other group participants and practice making space for the bodies of others.
Some questions we will explore: What are my body narratives? What does radical self-love mean to me? How do I see the bodies of others? How does my body experience oppression? How has my body been resilient? How can I lean into body liberation?
Mary Pepper lives in Toronto, ON with her dog that she hopes her fiancee Becca will let her get if she talks about it enough. She identifies as gay and genderqueer and uses she and they pronouns. After finally finishing their diploma in Community Services and Addictions Work, Mary is wondering what they want to do with their life. Embodiment and fat liberation are on Mary’s mind a lot these days. She is learning to identify and release the harmful narratives she has believed about her body. Mary is a self-proclaimed badass at doing self-care and happily calls themself an introvert. When she’s not doing boring adult stuff, Mary checks in on her Instagram-famous dog fam, takes walks through cemeteries, and makes good use of her Netflix subscription.
Holy Spirit Wants YOU: Spiritual Gifts for Rainbow People – Robbie Walker
Do you want to develop your relationship with Holy Spirit? Are you curious about your spiritual gifts? Do you wonder what an LGBTQ2S+ affirming take on the gifts might look like? Are you wondering how the GS community might support the development of your gifts?
Bring something to write with and on, your sense of humour, and a thirst for good discussion. Participants will take a queer positive spiritual gifts test, discuss their experiences with and hopes for their gifts, and have the opportunity to receive prayer, if desired, for a deepened and empowered relationship with Holy Spirit.
Robbie Walker is working toward the PhD Theological Studies from the University of Toronto, focusing on embodiment in Queer and Pentecostal theologies. As someone who lives with cerebral palsy, Robbie seeks to apply Christian practices of nonviolence to healing ministry, and wants to be a Holy Spirit flamer–it’s biblical! Robbie’s not-so-inner geek waits eagerly for each new episode of The Voice, The 100, and Star Trek: Discovery.
Bisexuality/Pansexuality – Jamie Arpin-Ricci & Jaina Wiebe
Jamie Arpin-Ricci is one of our Co-Directors of Community at Generous Space. Read more about him here!
Jaina Wiebe is an eternal student, going into her sixth year of a four-year counselling program while working towards getting certified in the enneagram (4w5 for her fellow enneanerds!). Besides her enthusiasm for learning, she has many other fervent interests, including Dungeons & Dragons, video games, indie music, and, as a result of living in northern Alberta this year, camping! Jaina identifies as bisexual/queer and a Hufflepuff, and she has a strong passion for hearing peoples’ stories and learning to be a better ally and advocate.
WORKSHOP C – Saturday, 1:30 – 2:45
Sex Ethics Workshop II – Wendy Vanderwal Gritter
Many in the Generous Space community find themselves needing to reflect, revisit, and potentially reconstruct their sexual ethics in light of coming out, theological shifts, or evolving expressions of faith. This year, we’ve dedicated two workshop spaces to this important work. In this second workshop, we’ll focus on the values that energize our current decision-making. We’ll also do the work of integrating scripture, spiritual attentiveness, and desired outcomes. (You aren’t obligated to have attended the first Sex Ethics workshop to attend this one… but it does flow nicely from the work participants will have done in the first one!)
Dr. Wendy Vanderwal Gritter is the Executive Director at Generous Space Ministries. Read more about her here!
Expanding the Conversation: Exploring Prayers I Never Learned to Pray – Becca Sawyer
I grew up believing that there were limits to what could be called prayer. It had to look a certain way, involve certain words, and be contained within certain parameters to be “effective”. When I began to learn about contemplative forms of prayer, it expanded not only my definition but my practice of prayer. In this workshop, we will explore alternative forms of prayer that may open up a new type of conversation for those of us who don’t seem to have anything left to say. There will be space to practice and engage with forms of prayer including using prayer beads, praying the Psalms, art as prayer, centring prayer, and imaginative prayer. It won’t get weird, I promise. I’m hoping our conversation will open us up to trying something new even if we’ve given up on prayer.
Becca Sawyer calls herself an ambivert, is an enneagram 2, and a humanitarian in the making. She is a graduate from Wycliffe College at Uof T with a Masters in Urban and International Development. Her thesis focused on home building with refugees and the narratives we tell about home. Becca is the Events Manager at Generous Space Ministries. She a queer woman who loves to travel, play her ukulele (Cecilia), and hang out with her dog (Presley) and fianceee (Mary). You can find her quoting Gilmore Girls, making up alternative lyrics to songs, and eating peanut butter cups on the regular.
Writing Poems to Look at Our/Biblical Stories – the Anonymous Poet
We’ll listen to a few contemporary poems loosely influenced by midrash—a Jewish practice of filling in the empty spaces in Biblical stories. (For example, Eve describes the feeling of the eating the apple—like the moment your car starts to spin on ice.) And we’ll give ourselves writing time to create poems about Biblical stories (dibs on David and Jonathan!)—or about our own stories. We’ll have springboard prompts. Our time together will be a low-stakes opportunity to create, think, push pause, and have fun. You’re welcome to share your scribblings or not.
The Anonymous Poet (who doesn’t like being on websites, but will be clearly identified at the retreat!) reads and writes a lot of poems. They like how poetry gives us the chance to pause and hold onto questions and mysteries without the pressure to answer them now.
Coming Out Late: Finding Self After 50 – David Hall & Robin Dhillon
“I’m 58 and I just publicly told my family, my church, my world I’m gay and I’m dating a man!! What the hell was I thinking?” Coming out late in life is no easy feat, no matter your gender identity or sexual orientation. Suddenly you’re exploring frightening questions about yourself, dismantling a former life, creating something new by stepping into unfamiliar waters, learning the value of paying attention to a full range of senses and emotions, and realizing that nothing is gained by avoiding your fears or guilt.
Are you coming out late in life (or have you already)? In this interactive workshop we’ll listen to each other’s experiences; look at our fears, challenges, expectations and hopes; and explore living life with gentle honesty that, even when it causes immediate upheaval, can lead to happiness being the truer you.
David Hall, at age 56 (traumatized by his religious upbringing, and after the death of his wife of 33 years) began the journey from self-homophobia to self-acceptance, from an unwanted son to an image-bearing child of God, from living in regrets of the past to living in the joy of his journey. David is living fully out, in a committed relationship with his “kick-ass” partner Jim, still a dad to two amazing daughters and a son-in-law, and part of a warm, loving, affirming faith community.
Robin Dhillon is beloved of God and proud to be a member of our GS community. Robin feels God has placed him in a unique position of helping more conservative churches move towards a greater understand of why LGBT people are a gift from God and are a missing voice in the expression of God’s love to the world. Robin understands his non-binary gender identity as a gift from God and would not change the way God created him.
Experiencing Grief – Mary Pepper & Eric Van Giessen
Grief… sigh…it sucks. We have all had run-ins with grief. Maybe grief has been brief and circumstantial for you, or maybe it’s been hanging around for a while like a heavy dark cloud. What does grief mean to you? How have you
been shaped by grief? What have you lost? What grief work are you currently doing? How has being LGBTQ+ enlightened your understanding of grief or added to your grief? These are some of the questions we will explore together in this workshop. We will come together in a low-key space to reflect on and talk about how we have come to know and experience grief. This workshop will be a space to bring our unsure selves, tired selves, and confused selves and join in friendship to understand grief in the context of community.
Mary Pepper lives in Toronto, ON with her dog that she hopes her fiancee Becca will let her get if she talks about it enough. She identifies as gay and genderqueer and uses she and they pronouns. After finally finishing their diploma in Community Services and Addictions Work, Mary is wondering what they want to do with their life. Grief has become a lens that Mary has used to make sense of her 20s as she experienced mental illness, journeyed through coming-out, and faced the death of her mother in 2017. Mary is a self-proclaimed badass at doing self-care and happily calls themself an introvert. When she’s not doing boring adult stuff, Mary checks in on her Instagram-famous dog fam, takes walks through cemeteries, and makes good use of her Netflix subscription.
Eric Van Giessen is the Manager of Operations at Generous Space Ministries. Read more about him here!
Freedom through Dance – Laura Marthe
Some people think there is a right way and a wrong way to dance, but in this dance gathering, everyone can dance… there is no “one” way to dance, only infinite ways of dancing. We’ll co-create a space where we lower our judgement and our guard and allow each other to show up and show our raw authentic nature. Walking in faith sometimes means that we have to listen to those quiet thoughts within us, and follow through even though it might seem weird, and, at times, scary. While dancing, a part of your body or soul may want to move in a certain way that could seem strange to the people around you, or even to yourself, but when you grant freedom to your body and soul, you find joy in movement and in listening to those thoughts that come from within. Come to move however you feel, let the music take you on a journey, and you might be surprised by what you experience when you let got of your worry of moving the right way, and when you just move for yourself, and dance! Please wear comfortable clothes and bring water.
Laura Marthe likes to snowboard, play soccer and make jewelry. She is working towards building and designing healthy homes and is “mostly into girls.” When she was younger she was as stiff as a stick and didn’t think she liked to dance. She learned a few steps of Latin dance and started going dancing (lots!), and slowly she gained confidence and love for dance. She now enjoys mixing dance steps and is always itching to get on the dance floor.