Hartford’s First Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo, Bishop John Selders and a “Prayer For Equality”

Hartford, CT, April 07, 2006 --(PR.com)-- On Sunday May 7, 2006 Rainbow Wedding Network (RWN) will produce the first ever Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel. This year brings a plethora of new blood to the national events, including the involvement of the HRC Faith and Religion Program. The HRC Faith and Religion Program is the inspiration of Harry Knox, former head of Freedom To Marry in New York City and Georgia Equality. “Our lobbyists tell us that many members of Congress would like to support us,” states Knox, “but when asked why they do not support us, they tell us we have not had conversations with their constituents in a language they understand. The language they are referring to is faith language.”

In order to make conversations with lawmakers more successful the HRC Faith and Religion Program has created a council of religious leaders from a variety of faiths and backgrounds to become an integral part of the voice of GLBT equality. One of these leaders is Bishop John L. Selders Jr., pastor of the Amistad United Church of Christ in Hartford, Connecticut. Bishop Selders attended Life Christian Bible College, Webster University and Eden Theological Seminary and in 2004 was consecrated to the office of Bishop in the Church of God and became Presider of the Inter-Denominational Conference of Liberation Congregations and Ministries (ICLCM). Currently he is an Instructor in the Theatre Department of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts and Lecturer for Supervised Ministries at Yale Divinity School. In addition to his role with the HRC Bishop Selders has started work as a consultant for GLAD (MA) and Love Makes A Family (CT).

Bishop Selders is a teacher, lecturer, workshop leader, HIV/AIDS educator and activist committed to traveling and speaking on issues of racism, health, equality, justice, LGBT rights and same-sex marriage. He believes speaking publicly for marriage equality is essential because what he refers to as the "movable middle" is now beginning to understand that "the truth of the matter is same-gender loving people are human beings and deserve the same rights and protections under the law." Bishop Selders will also be leading a special "Prayer for Equality" during the Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo and looks forward to being joined by other local faith leaders in the Hartford area. The event is free to the public and all people of faith are invited to hear Bishop Selders speak and to participate in a unified time of prayer at 3 PM Sunday May 7.

The Same Love, Same Rights™ GLBT Wedding and Family Expo will feature a live DJ, food samples, giveaways and over twenty five wedding professionals that support marriage equality and equal rights for GLBT families in Connecticut. This event is free to the public and will be open from 11 AM until 5 PM. Also available at the event will be the newly launched Rainbow Wedding Network Magazine, a new full color publication dedicated to GLBT couples and their families. It will feature news articles, marriage equality updates, parenting and adoption resources, wedding and honeymoon tips and a directory of GLBT-friendly professionals.

Quotes:

"The truth of the matter is same-gender loving people are human beings and deserve the same rights and protections under the law."-Bishop John Selders, Amistad United Church of Christ

“Our lobbyists tell us that many members of Congress would like to support us, but when asked why they do not support us, they tell us we have not had conversations with their constituents in a language they understand. The language they are referring to is faith language.”-Harry Knox, Human Rights Campaign

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