Blue Christmas Archives - Inclusive Gathering Birmingham

Tag: Blue Christmas

The True Blue Meaning of Christmas: A guided reflection

March 17, 2026 4:32 pm

newchurchbrum

We're a diverse, LGBTQIA+ affirming, justice-seeking church for ALL in Brum's Gay Village. Sundays in Sept at Ibis Hotel Arcadian at 3pm.

Join us for our big 'first Sunday' worship gatheri

Join us for our big 'first Sunday' worship gathering this Sunday at 3pm at Ibis Hotel - Arcadian!

This month at Inclusive Gathering Birmingham sees
the start of Lent AND LGBTQIA+ History Month, plus an exploration of this month's theme of CURIOSITY as Spiritual Practice.-

We're happing to be collaborating with @bhamcityco

We're happing to be collaborating with @bhamcitycouncil by contributing a session to their Pride Well Summit for Birmingham #LGBTQHistoryMonth Health Conference.

Our session Spirituality, LGBTQ+ Activism & Mental Health is a free Interfaith Panel Discussion taking place via Zoom on Thursday, 29th February at 19:30.

We'll be talking to three activists of different faith traditions discussing how their faith identity/ spirituality fuels and supports their LGBTQIA+ activism and their daily life as queer people. How does their faith tradition or spirituality give them hope? What are the challenges of being at the intersection of faith and queer identity? How do spiritual practices or core beliefs support their mental health, particularly when facing those who espouse homophobic, racist or transphobic views? Where do they find resilience and comradery? There will be time for interactive discussion and Q&A.

Our discussion will be chaired by Dr Naomi Bennett-Steele [they/she] (Inclusive Gathering Birmingham's Core Leadership Team). Naomi will be joined by New York City-based Rev Elizabeth Edman [she/her] (Queer priest/ activist and author of Queer Virtue: What LGBTQIA+ People Know about Life and Love and How it Can Revitalize Christianity), Al Sadiq [he/him] (of IMAAN LGBTQ - the UK's leading LGBTQ Muslim charity & UK Black Pride Inclusive Interfaith Chaplaincy) and Naomi (pronounced Nairmi) Rowe [they/ them] (a Jewish non-binary activist & music psychotherapist specialising in work with neuroqueer people. Naomi is Birmingham-based and a trustee of the Trans Tea Room).

Inclusive Gathering Birmingham is a diverse, justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming church for ALL based in Brum's Gay Village (Southside District - Birmingham City Centre). We're a community learning to practice God's radical love & inclusion the best we can. Inclusive Gathering Birmingham is a part of the Inclusive Church Network and the Birmingham Methodist District.

Oh we are still in a post #DollyChurch glow ... so

Oh we are still in a post #DollyChurch glow ... some pictures from an incredible afternoon with @newchurchbrum at @theoldreptheatre @southsidedistrict

Thanks to our hosts at the Old Rep and Southside BID, and our big Methodist Church family!

@treyinlondon @eeekmusic @shechoirbirmingham @raphael_hoe @ibiprofane @methodistchurchgb @birminghamlgbt

What a fab afternoon at #DollyChurch

What a fab afternoon at #DollyChurch

Hey Y'all... Dolly says grab your brolly and get y

Hey Y'all... Dolly says grab your brolly and get yourselves down to #DollyChurch Sunday afternoon at 3pm at the Old Rep Theatre, ya hear?

Did you know there is a theatre entrance on Station Street AND a wheelchair accessible entrance on Hinckley Street? At both you will find a warm welcome, a cafe and some free treats!

#dollyinabrolly #reallove
@dollyparton
@raphael_hoe
@ibiprofane
@treyinlondon
@eeekmusic
@shechoirbirmingham
@hopeandanchorcrew
@theoldreptheatre
@southsidedistrict
@sidewalkbarbirmingham
@birminghamlgbt
@birminghamdispatch
@methodistchurchgb

Big News Tonight at our Family Meeting

Big News Tonight at our Family Meeting

It's nearly time for #DollyChurch - Come celebrate

It's nearly time for #DollyChurch - Come celebrate the birth of Queen Dolly in style!

Don't miss this free event at @theoldreptheatre @southsidedistrict #Birmingham followed by a Dolly-tastic afterparty at @Sidewalk Birmingham

Special Guests @shechoirbirmingham @eeekmusic @ibiprofane @raphael_hoe @treyinlondon

@dollyparton @birminghamdispatch @birminghamlgbt @birminghampride @philoldershawofficial @methodistchurchgb

As we enter 2024, let's start the year as we mean

As we enter 2024, let's start the year as we mean to go on ... With a bit of prophetic imagination, hope, prayer... and quite a lot of Dolly Parton.

Join us this Sunday, 7th January at 3pm for our first gathering of 2024 as we celebrate Epiphany at Ibis Hotel Arcadian in Birmingham City Centre's Southside District.

Words of blessing and hope from Inclusive Gatherin

Words of blessing and hope from Inclusive Gathering for 2024:

“May the God of compassion and open doors, be with us this coming year.

Everything sad won’t come untrue this year and this year will hold its own tragedies and sorrows. We’ll relearn lament and fight for joy.

May we show up with courage and faithfulness for our lives and our callings and our people. May we be restored and renewed even in exile. May the wilderness become our cathedral and our altar.

May we throw open the doors of our lives to the disruptive, wild, healing Holy Spirit. May this be a year of unclenched hands and new songs, of good food and some laughter, of kind endings and new beginnings.

May 2024 bring you goodness and courage, hope and love, resilience and a hand to hold even on the nights with no stars”

(written by Sarah Bessey)
@southsidedistrict @methodistchurchgb @inclusivechurch

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