A Weekend with Josephine Inkpin & Penny Jones.

We live in a world where there are diverse experiences of sexuality and gender. Join us as we explore what it means to be transgender, the challenges facing transgender people, where being transgender fits within Christian faith, and how our churches can be places of inclusion of transgender people.

FRIDAY JUNE 14

Pastors Forum (5.00-6.30pm).

We’re inviting pastors from churches in the Hunter to a closed session with Jo and Penny.

HBC Church Leader’s Dinner (6.30pm)

An opportunity for the Hamilton Baps Church Leaders team and anyone from Hamilton Baptist who would like to join us to get to know Jo and Penny.

SATURDAY JUNE 15

Gender, Identity & Christianity Workshop (6.00pm-9.30pm)

Section 1. Our shared story
What are the key shifts in our culture around gender and why have they happened?

Section 2. Jo & Penny’s Stories
Hear how Josephine, assigned the sex of male at birth, came to grips with her deep seated sense that she was a woman, how she and Penny navigated their way through this together, and the challenges Jo has faced as a transgender Christian and Penny as the partner of a transgender person.

Section 3. Your Story
An opportunity to reflect on your sense of gender identity and why you think and feel the way you do about people who are transgender.

Section 4. God’s Story
Josephine and Penny will help us reflect on gender identity and the bible and frame gender theologically.

Section 5. Our New Story
Where do we go to from here? How an our churches be places of welcome and grace to transgender people?

Sunday June 15

Josephine and Penny will share in our Sunday morning service

Josephine & Penny are Anglican priests with wide experience of ministry in both Australia (to which they emigrated with sick children in 2001) and their native England.  Jo teaches church history at St Francis theological college in Brisbane, and is Australia’s first open and recognised transgender minister.  She formerly served with the National Council of Churches In Australia and as General Secretary of the NSW Ecumenical Council, as well as a parish priest in Toowoomba.  Penny is director of formation at St Francis college, parish priest of Milton, and a skilled spiritual director.