SOS-Sunday of Solidarity

Who:
Soulforce, Atticus Circle, and YOU!
Bring the truth about marriage equality to Rick Warren's church!

What:
Sunday of Solidarity -- See Steps 1-4 below

When:
Sunday, January 18, 2009

Where:
8:30 - 10:30am: Required Pre-Action Briefing
Pick up your t-shirt or lapel button and attend this required pre-action briefing at Irvine United Congregational Church (Plumer Hall), 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine, California 92604.

11:15am: Attend Worship at Saddleback Church
Saddleback Church, 1 Saddleback Parkway, Lake Forest, CA, 92630
Peacefully attend worship wearing the lapel button or t-shirt and seek opportunities for respectful dialogue with members of the congregation.

Why:
Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church, will give the invocation at President-Elect Obama's Inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C. Many LGBT people and our allies have expressed their dismay at Warren's offensive statements and his substantial support of Proposition 8 that stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry in California. Soulforce tried to create opportunities for dialogue at Saddleback and you can read about that effort here. Now it's time to take the next step.

Soulforce, Atticus Circle, and YOU will bring a bold message of marriage equality directly to the congregation and staff at Saddleback by wearing a lapel button or t-shirt that reads "gay marriage? fine by me" to the 11:15 service on January 18, 2009. The lapel buttons & t-shirts will serve to jump start nonviolent conversation with those in Warren's church about the importance of supporting marriage equality for all American's.

To join us, take the following four steps:

Step 1: Go to http://finebyme.org/sos.html before the end of the day on January 11, 2009 (hurry - that's this coming Sunday!) and order your t-shirt or lapel button that reads "gay marriage? fine by me." Lapel buttons are just $2.00 and t-shirts are $16 (long-sleeve available for $20). All t-shirts and lapel buttons will be shipped to California and be available for pick-up at the required pre-action briefing (see Step 2).

Step 2: Come to Irvine United Congregational Church, 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine, California, 92604 at 8:30am on Sunday, January 18, 2009 for the required pre-action briefing. You will pick up your pre-ordered t-shirt or lapel button, receive training in nonviolent communication strategies, and sign the Soulforce pledge to nonviolence. You must attend this briefing and sign the pledge card to participate.

Step 3: Attend the 11:15 worship service at Saddleback and seek peaceful dialogue with those around you using the tools provided during the pre-action debriefing.

Step 4: Optional but highly encouraged -- Attend a debriefing afterwards at a location to be announced during the 8:30am pre-action briefing.

Rick Warren may not be in attendance on January 18, but that's O.K. -- it's really his congregation with whom we wish to speak. We hope you'll join us if you are confident you can do so in a spirit of nonviolence. Please forward this information to friends and family who are concerned about Rick Warren's false teachings about LGBT people and are ready to take nonviolent direct action.