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I am very moved by your devotional. I am especially moved by the directness of the appeal to readership that may identify with as a native son of Africa. I hope the book will contribute significantly to the outreach planned in Nigeria,... Rev Pat Bumgardener New York USA.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Mentioned House Of Rainbow Nigeria in Report

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/af/119018.htm

It is with great joy that I rush this update to you, I just received information that in the annual Human Rights Report released from the US Department of State during a press conference of the Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton include discrimination against LGBT communities in Nigeria and focuses particularly on the Bauchi case and the House Of Rainbow MCC Lagos attacks.

Other Societal Abuses and Discrimination

Homosexuality is illegal under federal law; homosexual practices are punishable by prison sentences of up to 14 years. In the 12 northern states that have adopted Shari'a law, adults convicted of engaging in homosexual intercourse are subject to execution by stoning, although no such sentences were imposed during the year. Because of widespread taboos against homosexuality, very few persons were openly homosexual.

On September 12, local newspapers Nation, Vanguard, PM News and the Sunday Sun published photos, names, and addresses of members of the House of Rainbow Metropolitan Community Church, a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered-friendly church in Lagos. Following publication, persons started harassing the 12 members. One woman was attacked by 11 men, while others were threatened, stoned, and beaten. No investigation was initiated by year's end.

There were repeated delays in the trial of 18 men arrested in August 2007 by Bauchi State police and charged with "addressing each other as women and dressing themselves as women," which is illegal under the Shari'a penal code. The men, all in their twenties, also were charged originally with sodomy, but the charges were later changed to "vagrancy" under the Bauchi State Islamic code. All 18 accused remained free on bail at year's end, but no developments occurred in their trial.

Until My Last Breath

(responding to an email from someone)

I am sure you appreciate the safety of being in Europe compared to the times you spend in Nigeria. In 2006 I gave up everything in England to relocate to Nigeria to start the House of Rainbow Metropolitan Community church, I focus all my strength and trust on God and I still do, however, my life was endangered by my openness and somewhat naive of the Nigerian politics.

My home was vandalised beyond recognition and looted of every valuable items and I was later informed through our private investigator that there was an order to assasinate me, it was reported that our church was "an unacceptable brand of religion" I was circulated as wanted by the authorities for questioning, it was the grace of God that I was able to leave the country with the cloths on my back. I was angry, but you cant argue with God, many people with hope for liberation suffered again and again, many people were fired from their jobs and evicted from their homes because they were homosexual and attached to our church, our pictures were smeared over the Nigeria media with a clear homophobic message and incitement to kill.

Recalling the headlines makes me angry and at the same time more determined never to stop this heroic journey of faith.I am in London not because I chose but because God needed to preserve my life and that is why I continue to be more effective using the internet as an additional tool. I am out of Nigeria to re strategise and look at new ways we can do our work effectively, the down side is that many more people will not have access to the internet and many more will like to speak to somebody, we are doing our best to develop and train people locally in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Personally I am frustrated but I am relearning to wait on God in faith and conscience. The physical church as been transformed in to a cyber church for now, where no harm or fear can be real. The two links I sent you is part of the work to reach people, at the moment we have nearly 300 people on line with over 400 hits on a single video message, there are people from over 35 countries and thus far I have upload 20 video messages.The hypocrisy of our people and government is so bad to the point that the minister of justice stood at the UN review in Geneva and lied that there are no homosexuals in Nigeria on the 9th February 2009. He must be in dark ages, never read the papers nor listen to the news.

I am active and in contact with Nigeria and our people everyday, by phone and internet. Nigeria newspapers still run stories with my name and our church regularly. I do not intend to stop until my last breath. I am stil involved with activism in Nigeria and we are detemined that we would continue the work, we need to measure the safety of all people. What can be useful is if we all come together trust and honor God in all we do. Help our fellow brothers and sisters. We cannot blame those that are downlow, even those in government, you know they will be skinned alive if they admit to being gay, these is part of the cross they bear, but at least they can orchestrate some changes using other mechanism. I must assure you we are working with much more people who are now allies to the LGBT community than we did five years ago.

Videos @ http://www.youtube.com/HouseOfRainbow and or join the discussion forum @ http://spiritualityandsexuality.ning.com/ ,

Please keep in touch

Merry Gay Christmas

The Mo Moment with Mo Show And The Scandalous PM News Report.

The Mo Moment with Mo Show And The Scandalous PM News Report.

First it was a struggle to get on the Moment with Mo show, after many attempts and few phone calls from their offices, meeting with the producers of the Show, even after many discussions with our church leaders, I attended. I knew another show in Nigeria on homosexuality will either make or break. I feel in all understanding, it is good credence to begin a dialogue rather than a war of words

I had the opportunity to meet other gay and lesbian people, and the rare opportunity to include them in my prayers as together we stand to change time and history. In fact I can safely conclude that History was made by our actions.

Many chose to hide their identity, however, my boldness and courage that God loves me just the way I am, I decided that I need not cover my face, allow the people of Africa and the rest to see me and tell me what is wrong with and honestly being a homosexual.

I want to call on reasonable thinking people, including staff and colleagues at my college where I am currently studying for my PhD in theology to rethink, what are the accuracies of the report or the real issues faced by people that are homosexuals in Nigeria? Many of you are currently clergies and church goers, what are your views and conclusions?.

Let me say a few things, Jesus came to the world to die for my sins and NOT my sexuality, if you fail to love me, then God who made you and love you will love me always.

I have responded honestly with all my heart to the call of God to be the face and voice of our community in Nigeria, I am sure many people will agree with me, but yet the fear of speaking or standing for the truth, will hold many people back. I can understand.

Before we rush in to the condemnation mode or gather the 15 million sexual minorities in Nigeria, we need to think of the peoples’ right to be part of the household of God and also how they are to be included as rightful citizens of Nigeria. With laws that will continue to protect LGBT from violent attacks, malicious abuses, and inaccurate conclusion. Who is to judge?

My experience and struggle in just less than two years of moving back to Nigeria from the United Kingdom, as an optimistic gay rights activist and a gay pastor are overwhelming, I have seen and heard many depleting and inhumane stories of victimization, discrimination, ostracisation, rejection and so on of people simply because they identify or merely suspected of being gay or lesbian.

You can never tell what will happen.

Business people and some local printers have refused to do our printing jobs, because of their positions with their religion once they knew we are a mission that is inclusive and welcoming to LGBT people.

I gave more people a ride in our church bus after my lecture on Tuesday, 13th May 2008, it was a raining day and more questions were asked about homosexuality and the bible. I refused to be the closeted religious leader, I claim that I will be the face for the faceless and voice for the voiceless, even if it meant ridiculous story lines and this has started happening. I believe our work is cut out for us in Nigeria alone, let alone in the rest of the world.

We get no where without a fight, but I believe that this fight is righteous for many people that are unable to neither speak out nor stand up for their rights.

Our mission at House Of Rainbow Metropolitan Community Church

Mission Statement

· House Of Rainbow is committed to basic Christian Gospel, that the love of God is freely available to all people, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
· House Of Rainbow recognises the oppression caused through racism, sexism, hatred and other forms of prejudice, both within and outside the Christian Church.
· House Of Rainbow seeks to share healing with all people so affected.

Statement of Vision

House Of Rainbow is on a bold mission to transform hearts, lives, and history. We are a movement that faithfully proclaims God’s inclusive love for all people and proudly bears witness to the holy integration of spirituality and sexuality.

Aim

House Of Rainbow MCC, seeks to promote an inclusive gospel ministry of Jesus Christ, for all children of God, regardless of age, gender, race, tribe, language, marital or employment status, ability, disability, health, sexual orientation, etc

And if we fail as activist or Christian mission we are not serving the very people that need our services.

We have to be radical against those who violently attack us, many Citizens of Nigeria including Conservative Christians have concluded that homosexuality is a sin, they need new information, education and for Christians anointing for wisdom in understanding the heart of God for all the people of God.

Homosexuality is included in the mysteries of God and in the dynamic creation of the human spectrum.

PM news printed a violent accounted which are incorrect, and Lagosians will believe anything they choose to. I am not sure if PM News is the right choice of paper for intelligent and reasonable thinking people.

http://thepmnews.com/2008/05/12/homosexual-act-not-against-bible—gay-pastor

Why Do We Need Another Church In Nigeria?

Why Do We Need Another Church In Nigeria?

HOUSE OF RAINBOW
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH LAGOS NIGERIA

1. Why the need for another church in Lagos Nigeria?
Within religious circles there exists great tension over the issue of including homosexuals. For persons who are Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgender, there are too few or perhaps no places that wholly affirm these individuals who are Christians, self-affirming, and homosexuals. It is our calling to provide a corrective and a viable alternative. We desire to be a place of extravagant welcome for all persons — especially persons seeking a community built on honesty, openness, and equity. We believe the call that we have received comes from God and is both specific and radical. We seek to reach persons on the margins of society and make the table of the Lord accessible to all.

2. What is your denominational affiliation?
We are affiliated with the denomination of the Universal Fellowship of the Metropolitan Community Churches, founded on the 6th October 1968, in Los Angeles United States of America, founded by Rev Elder Troy D. Perry; the mission is currently under the leadership of Rev Elder Nancy L. Wilson as Moderator. We are a denomination working for unity and justice in both church and society.

3. What is Radical Inclusivity?
Radical inclusivity is the belief that all persons are welcome at the table. Inclusivity challenges major fundamental, deep-seated beliefs, doctrines and theologies at the centre of society which characterize people on the edge as enemies of God and routinely mistreats, oppresses and excludes people from the community of faith and its institutions.

4. What will the worship experience look like at House Of Rainbow, Metropolitan Community Church Lagos Nigeria?
Our worship style is celebrative and contemplative — free and open to the Spirit. We will seek to provide a rich blend of a variety of traditions - Pentecostal, Baptist, Apostolic, Methodist - just to name a few. We seek to provide an experience that values ritual, tradition, and yet one that is open to a God who is still speaking. We will also provide a space for persons to examine the deeper meaning of our traditions and faith expressions. Whether it is through our powerful praise and worship, the performing arts, or through social ministry that is grounded in love, we will seek to be a balanced people who embody the transforming and liberating love of Jesus Christ.

5. How do I become a member?
Membership is open to all. We now hold weekly bible studies, regular Membership Foundation Class and other programmes. Please contact us at houseofrainbow@hotmail.com to receive information regarding time and location.