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TODAY, 11th October, is marked around the world as ‘Coming Out Day’. On Sunday 8th October, Warren Hartley from Open Table Liverpool preached at the Open Table Warrington community on the theme of ‘coming out’, inspired by the song of Mary, known as the Magnificat [Luke 1:46-55].

TODAY, 11th October, is marked around the world as ‘Coming Out Day’, based on the belief that prejudice against LGBTQIA+ people thrives in an atmosphere of silence and ignorance, and that once people know that they have loved ones who are LGBTQIA+, they are far less likely to maintain prejudiced or oppressive views. Wendy Young shares her coming out story.

A NEW academic year is bringing new opportunities and challenges for one of OTN’s trustees, as she starts studying theology and ministry this term. Sarah Hobbs, Co-Chair of trustees of OTN, learned in June that the Church of England Diocese of Leeds recommended her for training in preparation for ordination as a priest, and she became an ordinand.

BILLED AS ‘the nice people’s pop festival’ when it began in 1974, Greenbelt is more subversive than it first appeared 50 years ago. The annual celebration of art, activism and belief describes itself as ‘a festival that’s inclusive, open-minded, participatory and generous in spirit’. Gail from Open Table Warrington reflects on her first visit this year.

MORE THAN 240 organisations supporting the human rights of refugees, women and LGBTQ+ people, including the Open Table Network, have written to the Prime Minister asking him to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to protect LGBTQ+ people and women around the world, following comments by Home Secretary Suella Braverman last week.

OCTOBER 1st marks the third anniversary of the Coordinator of the Open Table Network taking on the role full-time. Thanks to the success of our first major funding bid, Kieran Bohan began a six-month contract on this day in 2020. Further grants, plus one-off and regular donations, have enabled him to extend this until 2025.

AT OTN’S NATIONAL GATHERING in June, Lauren McCombie Smith from Frontier Youth Trust led a breakout group to introduce Open Table members to Diversity Dice, a resource created by a Christian youth charity and an LGBT+ youth group. Lauren explains, and movingly shares why this really matters to her.

OTN TRUSTEE Augustine Tanner-Ihm, who found the first Open Table community to be ‘a safe space in a dangerous time’ when he lived in Liverpool ten years ago, has stepped down from the OTN board after three years. Here he explains what’s next for his ministry with the LGBTQIA+ community in Manchester.

GOD’S LOVE for each of us - and all of us - is at the centre of a painting exhibition which is touring cathedrals and town centre churches. Fine artist and theologian Elizabeth Gray King will be showing 13 intriguing and affirming canvases, exploring the equality and inclusivity of God’s love, starting in St James’ United Reformed Church, Newcastle this week.

AT THE FIRST Open Table community in Liverpool this month, the communion service was led by Revd Poppy Thorpe, Vicar of All Saints and St Frideswyde, Crosby, home of the Open Table Sefton community. This is Poppy’s reflection on these two questions, based on Matthew 16.13-20.