The Houston Mennonite Church in Houston, Texas, works with the Rising Voices Arts Community for the 'Queer Resilience Through Art Workshop' series event.
Queer Resilience Through Art
According to the announcement on Facebook, the two-week event is set for both Monday, Aug. 1 and 8, at the church premises.
The workshop is for everyone and not just for the LGBTQ+ community. Also, the event is free, but donations are welcome.
The first workshop is" ARTIVISM." This day allows the attendees to meditate on grief and give those emotions and energy to a "quilt" panel.
For the next workshop, the theme is queer immigrant identities. For this day, attendees can explore culture through queer immigrants. The art involves color theory and layering techniques that will be seen in the art pieces for that day.
Houston Mennonite Church
The Houston Mennonite Church calls itself a church that "believes that joy, peace, and celebration go hand in hand with being the people of God."
The church puts importance on social justice and human rights.
Apart from that, the church also lives by 12 foundational Scriptures that it picked in 2013. The scriptures of the church are about the agenda of Jesus, how to seek peace, the Sermon on the Mount, and others.
Also, the church follows the book of Ptr. Marty Troyer, "The Gospel Next Door."
It also subscribes to 'The Naked Anabaptist' and 'The Holding it (,) Together' podcast.
According to the church, their identity as Mennonites does not mean that they are Amish. But that it still follows the Anabaptism traditions. The church calls the practice the "third way."
The denomination's name came from Menno Simons, the leader of the denomination at the time of reformation.
As such, the church shares the beliefs and history of the people of God. What makes them different is the fact that they live out their callings in a different way.
The church said that it tries to follow a life of simple obedience to the Word of God and that it practices "believer's baptism." The latter is the practice of the church to leave baptism to the adults as their own decision.
It also nourishes a sense of community within its congregation, making it a source of growth and encouragement for its members.
Leaders of Houston Mennonite Church
Ptr. Lee Lever is currently the transitional pastor of the church who took the post in May of 2022. According to the church page, Lever is an experienced pastor, hospital chaplain, area conference minister, consultant, and denominational minister.
Previously, he served the Austin Mennonite Church.
He holds a Master of Divinity from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.
He also served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, the same experience that led him to his life as a Mennonite.
The church also has LaTayna Purnell as a half-time pastoral intern.
She holds a Masters and a Doctorate in Education and is currently taking her Master of Divinity Degree at United Theological Seminary.
She has been a youth minister, young adult minister, educator, coach, professor, and even a director of athletic operations.
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