Resources

The third round of the EF Mentoring Programme came to an end this November in Tartu. It is not easy to put into words everything that unfolded in these tandems over the past year and a half.

Last November, many of us from the LGBTI+ Christian communities of Eastern Europe and Central Asia met in Tartu, Estonia for three days that felt like a long-awaited exhale: prayer, learning, honest conversations, celebrating moments of courage, woven together in one shared space.

Even between assemblies of the World Council of Churches, members of Rainbow Pilgrims of Faith find ways to be present in gatherings of the global ecumenical movement.

Today our organisation turns 43 and to celebrate we have dug up this from the archives

From 13-16 October Wielie Elhorst visited the half-yearly meeting of the International NGO Conference of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

10-12th October, the European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups organized an International Consultation on LGBTI+ Allyship and Inclusion in the Church.

Today we want to share a prayer, written by "Mystique", a spoken word artist, published in the anthology Hopes and Dreams That Sound Like Yours - Stories of Queer Activism in Sub-Saharan Africa by @taboom_media

At our Annual Conference in Venlo, we were joined by Jarel Robinson-Brown, who has now written a book! Here is a review of that book.

This past weekend 27 LGBTI+ Christians under 35 met up in Warsaw, Poland.

During the Trans and Non-binary event this weekend, participant Lewis wrote this beautiful prayer which he read for us during our last worship service together.

This past weekend, 28 trans and non-binary Christians aged 20-70 met in Zürich, Switzerland for a weekend with the theme Trans Joy.

Queer Christians presents four relevant sources in LGBTI and queer theologies: the Bible, the Ecclesial Tradition and the Magisterium on marriage. The analysis goes further, incorporating LGTBIQ+ Experience of persons, local churches and Christian LGBTIQ+ networks, communities on the border/s, mainly in European ecumenical dialogue.

Our outgoing co-president Tarja Pyykkö wrote a beautiful text in our Annual Report which was presented during our Annual General Meeting in Turku, Finland in May 2025.

From 18 to 20 June, Kees Goedegebuur and Clémence Sauty represented the European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups at the Council of Europe’s No Hate Speech Week in Strasbourg. The event brought together civil society stakeholders and Council of Europe representatives committed to upholding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law

Today we want to highlight the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network for their important work.

Today it's IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homo, Bi, Trans phobia), our Italian member Alessandro has written a reflection.

We received an advance copy of this book, that we asked one of our members to read and review.

For too long, intersex individuals have been overlooked in Christian theological discussions. Here is a closer look at Scripture, Jewish tradition, and early Christian thought that shows a more complex understanding of sex and gender.

Today is Trans Day of Visibility, and I want to say this to every trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming person.

Prayer From Gay Girl Prayers by Emily R. Austin

Today it's the third Sunday of Advent and we've asked Chris, who is the coordinator of our member group Drachma LGBTI to share some thoughts.

Reflections from co-president Tarja Pyykkö on 4th Advent

Today, we would like to share a text written by Eva, a long time friend of our organization and active in the member group Zwischenraum

Last week our secretary Luke Dowding attended ILGA world's Annual Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. Here are his thoughts from the weekend.

Today is Transgender day of rememberance and we've asked our Norwegian friend Elisabeth to share her thoughts.

The 20th November 2024 will mark the 25th anniversary of what has become known as TDOR, Transgender Day Of Remembrance. There are many days marked in the calendar each year where we are called to be visible, to be more active, to stand up and be counted for who we are but this one strikes a particular resonance with me because it doesn’t demand any of this.

Today is Intersex Awareness Day and we ask everyone to join in the prayer shared by our friend Small Luk.

It's Ace Week, formerly known as Asexual Awareness Week! We've asked Elin, who attended our Annual Conference earlier this year, to share a prayer.

It's Ace Week, formerly known as Asexual Awareness Week! We've asked a dear friend, who's attended our Annual Conference for many years, to reflect on their identity on the asexual spectrum.

Today marks the beginning of Ace Week, formerly known as Asexual Awareness Week. We've asked Irene, who attended our Annual Conference earlier this year, to reflect on her identity as demisexual.

This week in Strasbourg, Political Advocacy Working Group coordinator Wielie Elhorst and Executive Officer Clémence Sauty attended the General Assembly of the Conference of International NGOs at the Council of Europe.

A sermon by co-president Tarja Pyykkö held during Board Weekend in Turku, Finland Oct 5th 2024.

It's bisexuality week and we've asked some wonderful people in our network to share their thoughts on being a bisexual person of faith. Today, you will hear from Aurelio, who attended our last conference in Varese in May 24 and there held a wonderful workshop about bisexuality.

It's bi+ week and we've asked some people in our network to share their thoughts on being a bisexual person of faith. Today you'll hear from Victor who is an active member in our Swedish member organisation Christian Rainbow Movement - EKHO.

It's bisexuality week and we've asked some wonderful people in our network to share their thoughts on being a bisexual person of faith. First out is Carol, who has been coming to our Annual Conference for many years!

Prayer: Dieu est une femme - Rett Madison

Prayer: Like Thomas - Jay Hulme

We want to start a new series on our socials, where people who have attended our Annual Conferences share a memory. Starting with Paul Whiting:

Prayer for a new name Pádraig Ó Tuama

Prayer: Jesus at the gay bar - Jay Hulme

Prayer: Beatitudes for a queerer church - Jay Hulme

Reflection on being a Queer Christian - Terry Nash

During the Human Rights Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece, during EuroPride, June 28th, we were proud to organize a panel discussion titled "From friendly to welcoming to affirmative. How can Orthodox communities be inclusive for LGBTI+ persons?"

In 2024, the Europride took place in a traditionally and predominantly Orthodox country for the second time (after Belgrade 2022). It was the first occasion to celebrate the progress of such a country in terms of acceptance of LGBTI+ people and respect for their rights: it is this year that Greece introduced marriage equality!

Today it's Aromantic Visibility Day and we have asked Elin Westöö from Christian Wainbow Movement - EKHO in Sweden to write a reflection.

A Conference on the crossroads of government policy for LGBTQIA emancipation and LGBTQIA activists and their NGO’s.

Over the past decade, attitudes toward LGBT communities in Europe have shifted significantly — not always toward greater acceptance or human rights.

Last week around 150 of us met for our Annual Conference in Varese/Milano in Northern Italy.

As we come to a close of the current Synodal Process of the Roman Catholic Church this October, you can find submission prepared by the Roman Catholic Church Working Group (RCC WG) of the European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups.

Today is Lesbian Visibility Day and our co-president Tarja would like to share the following words:

Our co-president Misza Czerniak recently met WCC's general secretary with the Rainbow Pilgrim Group.

A short Christmas reflection fby Kerstin Söderblom from Germany.

A short Christmas reflection from Karen Onshuus from Norway.

A short Christmas reflection from Juliette Marchet from France.

The European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian groups a member of the Council of Europe within the International NGO (INGO) Conference.

A few months ago polish group Faith and Rainbow published a book containing 15 interviews with LGBT+ Christians about their lives, faith, activism and other issues.

Representatives of the Roman Catholic Church Working Group (RCC WG) of the European Forum of LGBTI+ Christian Groups met in October in Rome during the synod of the bishops, that has marked the start of the final phase of the synod on synodality initiated by the pope Francis back in 2020.

The Synod on Synodality - the big event that's been happening for the last few years in Roman Catholic Church - is finally coming to an end. The bishops (with a small addition of a few lay people, including, for the first time, women) gathered in Rome to bring together ideas and findings from their respective countries, continents and context, to discuss, and to vote.

Gabriele Mayer and Matijs Mihelmanis have been involved in our working group for World Council of Churches for the past years and in Venlo this year, they formally stepped down from this. We are so grateful for all the work they’ve put down. Here is an interview about their time with the group:

Article about General Assembly of the WCC 2022

Report from ILGA World Conference 2022

During our Annual Conference 2021 we presented Rainbow Index of Churches, our report that measures inclusivity of LGBTI people in 46 churches throughout Europe on the basis of 47 criteria for inclusivity.

On Saturday the Open Church Service took place at the Church of the Nazarene in Vlaardingen, Netherlands. You can watch it here.