Conversation #12: On Reunification

06/15/23 • 54 min

June is not only PRIDE month but also Reunification Month. This month follows Foster Care Awareness month (May) and Child Abuse and Neglect Awareness Month (April).
The Family Connection Program that Holly and Christie talk about is an outreach program of TCG that has grown now statewide. This program provides support, advocacy, and supervision during parent-child visits for families who are working towards reunification with their children in the foster care system. This program focuses on working with families who have entered the system due to poverty-related stressors. You can learn more here: familyconnectionvisits.com
Below is a list of some of our recommended resources:
1. The Invisible Child- Andrea Elliott
2. To the End of June - Chris Beam
3. Stranger Care - Sarah Sentilles
4. Labeled: Ward of the State- Kenisha E. Anthony
5. Three Little Words- Ashley Roades
6. Shattered Bonds- Dorothy Roberts
7. Another Place at the Table- Kathy Harrison
8. Abusive Policies- Mical Raz
9. Ward of the State- Karlos Dillard
*Karlos also released a podcast featuring the stories of adults who experienced foster care. You can listen to this powerful podcast here.
Holly shared a poem she wrote called "How do you say goodbye?"
You can read that here.
Thanks for listening :) We are gathering next week for a second conversation around how faith communities can champion reunification.

We hope you are able to find a safe, supportive community in your deconstructing because "no one deserves to deconstruct alone" as we mentioned during week 17. We are moving our Flipped Table Theology Facebook group to a group on BAND to give people a way to connect outside of mainline social media platforms. Connect this discussion group for a place to create connections and conversations.
The Flipped Table Theology Podcast is a production of The Flipped Table Collective. You can explore all of the resources, classes, events, and trainings that the Flipped Table Collective has to offer at www.flippedtablecollective.com.

Previous Episode

Conversation #11: Open and Affirming, and other PRIDE Conversations

This week, we continued a conversation about PRIDE, focusing this time on what are the ways that the church can be authentically open and affirming!
Shurita read The Connecting Grounds Welcome Statement, which can be read below:
At The Connecting Grounds, we strive to be a community of imperfect people coming together to love one another, ask questions, deconstruct preconceptions, embrace uncertainty, and be challenged to lean into our growing edges. We strive to make this a safe, trauma-informed space that affirms the dignity and humanity in every person’s journey. We collectively work together to bring out justice, condemn racism, protect our environment, be open and affirming of our LGBTQIA+ siblings, work for economic dignity, work for health and healing equity, champion the reunification of separated families, protect vulnerable children and populations, advocate for affordable and accessible shelter for everyone, and honor the unique generational perspectives of each person who connects here. We strive to follow the example of Christ and to treat one another with acceptance, respect, compassion, and grace. We do not cater to comfort, but rather embrace the tension that comes with doubt, holy frustration, and a desire to bring about positive change in our community and the world around us.
theconnectinggrounds.com

Next Episode

Bonus Conversation: Deconstructing the Limitations of Women in the Church

This week, our team could not stay silent over the breaking headlines of the Southern Baptist Church voted to expel two churches for having female pastors. We decided to gather impromptu to share stories, hearts, and to challenge perspectives.
The NPR visit that is referenced in the podcast can be found here.
Below is a list of our recommended books and resources.
1. 10 Lies the Church Tells Women - J. Lee Grady
2. What Paul Really Said About Women - John T. Bristow
3. Not Counting Women and Children - Megan McKenna
4. The Making of Biblical Womanhood -Beth Allison Barr
5. The Truth sets Women Free - J. Lee Grady
6. Equal to Serve - Gretchen Gaebelein Hull
7. Beyond Sex Roles- Gilbert Bilezikian
To all the women who pastor who are listening to this podcast, thank you for compassion you share, the leader you are, the preaching, the passion, and the fight you put up daily.
To all who are deconstructing, questioning, or not sure what to believe theologically, we hope these resources shine some light.