Vanguard Revisited: The Queer Faith, Sex & Politics of The Youth of San Francisco's Tenderloin

Working with a variety of homeless youth services organizations, program coordinators Joey Plaster and Pastor Megan Rohrer presented the history of Vanguard to contemporary queer youth. We then asked them to respond by submitting stories, art, and poetry “in conversation” with original 1960s essays, or touching on similar themes.

A zine called Vanguard Revisted was published and featured new voices from 2011, along with reprints from the original Vanguard Magazine of the 1960s. These materials were supplemented with archival materials, a historical narrative, and writings from urban ministers and youth organizers.

Celebrating the five year anniversary of Vanguard Revisited, this special edition book includes previously unpublished materials the youth call Otro Vanguard.

The paperback will be available exclusively at the GLBT History and Tenderloin Museums in San Francisco.

In the News: Impact Magazine

First-Ever LGBTQ Religious Children’s Books Now Available!

Posted by Kittredge Cherry in Church Chat, Featured

A page from “Faithful Families”

LGBTQ-affirming religious books for kids are available for the first time ever with the launch of the Good News Children’s Book Series this spring.
Books such as “Faithful Families” remind children that God loves them, no matter what their family looks like — even if they have two mommies or two daddies.
“Mr. Grumpy Christian” is for LGBTQ families to read if they hear Christians telling them that God cannot love them.
“Transgender Children of God” affirms transgender parents and children by declaring that God will love us no matter what we wear, who we love or how we identify.
“What to Wear to Church” was written with transgender children in mind, while the gender diversity of God’s creation is affirmed in “Is it a Boy, Girl or Both?”
The books are published by Wilgefortis Press as a project of Grace Lutheran Church in San Francisco. All nine books in the series so far are written byMegan Rohrer, pastor at Grace Lutheran and the first openly transgender pastor ordained in the Lutheran church.

Megan Rohrer

Not every book in the series specifically addresses LGBTQ themes, but each one is promoted as “a safe book for reconciling churches and diverse families.”
Aimed at children from pre-school up to age 12, each book expresses God’s all-inclusive love with simple language and beautiful pictures by a variety of illustrators.
“My thought with these books is that as a collection they could help kids know that they are loved no matter what they wear, who they love and no matter what others tell them about it,” Rohrer told the Jesus in Love Blog.
The books grew naturally out of the ministry at Grace Lutheran. “A longtime welcoming congregation located in San Francisco, with a transgender pastor, we knew that our children’s books had the ability to be full of the grace that our congregation was named after,” Rohrer explained.
The first nine books were published quickly in February and March so they would be ready to use as prizes for the congregation’s Easter Egg Hunt.
“The children who received them over Easter were really excited and loved getting something they could take home with them from the service,” Rohrer said.
The books delighted adults in the church too. “Many wished they had books like this when they were younger,” Rohrer said.
“Faithful Families” was inspired by the many families and children at the church’s Grace Infant Child Care Center. Rohrer co-wrote it with Pamela Ryan, director of the center for more than 30 years. It is illustrated by Ihnatovich Maryia and aimed at children up to 8 years old.

A page from “Mr. Grumpy Christian”

Rohrer wrote “Mr. Grumpy Christian” after meeting a 7-year old-boy who tried to kill himself because a pastor threatened him with hell. It is suitable for LGBTQ families who face hostility from other Christians. Children ages 5 to 10 are the target audience. The rhyming book affirms:

When a grumpy Christian ruins your day,
Remember God’s love is here to stay.

In the true spirit of Christ, the book goes on to add, “But remember that God’s love extends to grumpy Christians too.”
“What to Wear to Church” reminds children that God will always love them no matter what clothes they wear. The illustrations were designed from a photo of Rohrer’s real-life grandmother, who inspired the story.
“‘What to Wear to Church’ is a short book for toddlers that I imagine my grandma reading to me if she knew I was going to grow up to be transgender,” Rohrer said. It is illustrated by Daren Drda.
“Is it a Boy, Girl or Both?” is one of the series’ most popular books with children. Pictures of animals illustrate the point that God’s creation includes many kinds of gender expression.  It is geared to children up to 8 years old. After exploring everything from koalas and penguins to banana slugs, the book concludes:

But, no matter your favorite color,
what your body looks like,
if you have a baby or not,
if you are in charge,
if you are a girl, boy, both or do not know,
or how any of these things change in the future,
God will love you no matter what.
And so will I.

Others in the series of Good News Children’s Books include “Church Bugs,” “Jesus’ Family,” “The Parable of the Succulent” and “The Children’s Crumbs.”
“We even have a book on the Holocaust that has some of my favorite illustrations of the series,” Rohrer said. “Never Again” was inspired by Rohrer’s wife Laurel, whose relatives who were killed in Auschwitz during the Holocaust. Illustrations are by Eugene Ivanov.
Wilgefortis Press works with a variety of artists to illustrate the Good News Children’s Books. “We gave the artists the story and creative license to illustrate,” Rohrer explained.
Rohrer received a master of divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA and is currently a candidate for the doctorate of ministry degree there. Rohrer created Wilgefortis Press to publish books about queer, disability and poverty issues. Other books by Rohrer include “Queerly Lutheran” and “Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect.”
Rohrer was an art major at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD before switching to religion. That artistic training will be put to use when Rohrer serves as both writer and illustrator of the next book in the series. It addresses how hard it is to come to church for the first time by telling the story of a dog coming to church.
The Good News Children’s Books are published as both ebooks and paperbacks, and are available on Amazon.com (see links below for quick ordering). Discounts on paperbacks ordered directly from the church are available by contacting pastor@gracesf.com.

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This post is part of the Artists series by Kittredge Cherry at the Jesus in Love Blog. The series profiles artists who use lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and queer spiritual and religious imagery. It also highlights great queer artists from history, with an emphasis on their spiritual lives.

KITTREDGE CHERRY is a lesbian Christian author who writes regularly about LGBT spirituality and the arts for the Jesus in Love Blog. She was ordained by Metropolitan Community Churches and served as its national ecumenical officer, advocating for LGBT rights at the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches. She holds degrees in religion, journalism and art history. Her most recent book is The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision.  (Read IMPACT’s review of her book here).

Transgender Children of God: Megan Rohrer: Good News Children's Books

Transgender Children of God, by Pastor Megan Rohrer, celebrates the diverse choices that transgender individuals can make throughout their life and declares that God will love us no matter what we choose, wear, who we love or how we identify.  This book also affirms transgender parents, though it can be read by any progressive, interfaith family members.  This is the 10th book in the Good News Children's Book Series.

The Rev. Megan Rohrer, is the first openly transgender pastor ordained in the Lutheran church and an advocate for homeless LGBT San Franciscans.  Pastor Megan is listed in the Trans100, received an honorable mention as an Unsung Hero of Compassion by His Holiness the Dali Lama, won awards in LGBT history and documentary film and was a finalist in transgender non-fiction for the Lambda Literary Award.  

The Good News Childrens Book Series are books for diverse families and reconciling faith

communities.  Each book reminds children that no matter what they do, say, wear or love, that God will love them.  With diverse themes and beautiful pictures, these books are a project of Grace Lutheran Church in San Francisco.

eBooks are exclusively available through Amazon, while print books will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and for discounted purchase from Grace Lutheran.

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

Never Again: Good News Childrens Books: Megan Rohrer

Never Again, by Megan Rohrer  is Wilgefortis' 7th book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).  This 18 page children's book

subtly shares the story of the Holocaust through beautiful illustrations and reminds children that we we never let it happen again.

 

Pastor Megan Rohrer wrote this book in honor of her wife Laurel, whose family lived in Hungary during the Holocaust and has relatives who were killed in Auschwitz. 

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

Mr. Grumpy Christian: Good News Children's Books: Megan Rohrer

Mr Grumpy Christian, by Megan Rohrer  is Wilgefortis' 6th book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).  This 12 page children's book is currently available as an ebook on Amazon and will be available in print in about 2 weeks.

 

This rhyming book is for children who wonder about loud angry Christians who tell others that they are bad.  The book reminds us of all the happy Christians in the world and that God's love is bigger and lasts longer than we can imagine.

 

Pastor Megan Rohrer wrote this book in honor of a beautiful seven year old boy who believed the pastor who told him that if he was bad he would go to hell.  The seven year old responded by trying to kill himself before he was so bad that God wouldn't let him go to heaven.   After meeting this boy, Pastor Megan knew that all children needed to know that God could love them no matter what.

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

Is it a Boy, Girl or Both?: Good News Children's Books: Megan Rohrer

Is it a Boy, Girl or Both, by Megan Rohrer  is Wilgefortis' fifth book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).  This 12 page children's book is currently available as an ebook on Amazon and will be available in print in 4-5 weeks.

This books explores the diverse animals God has created and reminds children that no matter if they are a boy, girl or both, God will always love them.

 

Pastor Megan Rohrer is the first openly transgender pastor ordained in the Lutheran Church and the pastor at Grace Lutheran in San Francisco.

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

The Children's Crumbs, by Megan Rohrer  is Wilgefortis' fourth book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).  This 10 page children's book is currently available as an ebook on Amazon and will be available in print in 4-5 weeks.

This books begins by talking about the Bible Story where dogs eat the crumbs of children and talks about ways that we can care for dogs, cats and hungry people near and abroad.

 

Pastor Megan Rohrer has worked with the homeless and hungry in San Francisco for 14 years and currently services as the pastor of Grace Lutheran church.  Sometimes when dogs come to the communion rail Pastor Megan reminds them that God loves them and that they can have the crumbs of the bread enjoyed by the children of God.

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

The Parable of the Succulent: Good News Children's Books: Megan Rohrer

The Parable of the Succulent, by Megan Rohrer  is Wilgefortis' third book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).  This 13 page children's book is currently available as an ebook on Amazon and will be available in print in 4-5 weeks.

This books begins by sharing Jesus' parable of good soil.  It goes on to teach children that, just as a succulant can grow in the dessert, God can still loves them even when they misbehave.

 

Pastor Megan Rohrer wrote this book in honor of a beautiful seven year old boy who believed the pastor who told him that if he was bad he would go to hell.  The seven year old responded by trying to kill himself before he was so bad that God wouldn't let him go to heaven.   After meeting this boy, Pastor Megan knew that all children needed to know that God could love them no matter what.

The idea for the Parable of the Succulents came to Pastor Megan while working in the succulent labyrinth garden in the front yard of Grace Lutheran Church in San Francisco, where they currently serve as pastor.

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

Faithful Families: Good News Children's Book Series: Megan Rohrer and Pamela Ryan

Faithful Families, by Megan Rohrer and Pamela Ryan is Illustrated by Ihnatovich Maryia.  Inspired by the many families and children at the Grace Infant Child Care Center, this book celebrates the many families in our world and is a safe book for reconciling churches and diverse families.  This 13 page book is Wilgefortis' second book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).

Pastor Megan Rohrer, of Grace Lutheran Church is an advocate, author, historian and documentary filmmaker.  Pastor Megan believes that all children should know God will always love them no matter what they do, say, wear or what their family looks like. 

Pamela Ryan has been the director of the Grace Infant Care Center for over 30 years.  She is very proud of her adopted son Tyler and wants all children to feel welcomed and loved at home, church and play.

 

Get the book at a discounted rate at by buying the paperback directly from Grace Lutheran Church: Buy the paperback version for less by buying directly from Grace Lutheran

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

What To Wear to Church: Good News Children's Book: Megan Rohrer

 What to Wear to Church, by Megan Rohrer and Illustrated by Daren Drda is Wilgefortis' first book in the Good News Children's Book Series (books for for reconciling congregations and diverse families).  This 6 page children's book is currently available as an ebook on Amazon and will be available in board bound print copies in 4-5 weeks.

Written by Pastor Megan Rohrer, of Grace Lutheran Church, the book reminds all children that no matter what clothes they wear God will always love them.  The first openly transgender pastor ordained in the Lutheran church, Pastor Megan wanted children to know that God loves them in their pjs, princess dress and super hero outfits.  And when loving parents and grandparents ask them to wear a special outfit to church, God loves them then too.

Inspired by Pastor Megan's grandmother, Darrin Drda's illustrations bring life to this loving story.

Purchase the paperback for a discount from Grace Lutheran Church:
online

a Wilgefortis book 4 kids

Call For Submissions: Manifest: Transitional Wisdom on Male Privilege

Edited by Megan Rohrer and Zander Keig

(the editors of Letters For My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect, which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award)

We're looking for  essays, first person narratives, poems and other creative non-fictional works written by trans* identified males. Submissions from trans* identified women are being curated in another process and authors interested in submitting from this perspective should email before sending completed works.

Your story can be smart, historically rooted, funny, provocative, progressive and/or political.  Stories should include maleness or male privilege as a theme.  While it's okay to reference fancy academic ideas, our goal is to begin an accessible conversation about male privilege and the wisdom that individuals gain  transitioning.

If you have a great idea, or are unsure if your submission fits what we are looking for, send it in anyway.  Our editors will work with you to help it meet our submission guidelines or to get it into another book or journal in the Wilgefortis catalog.

Accepted authors will receive a free copy of the book.  Proceeds from the book will benefit transitional wisdom gatherings to provide opportunities for trans individuals to share our history in community. Deadline for consideration is September 1st.  If you are interested, but will miss the deadline, please email the editors.

How to Contribute to Manifest: Transitional Wisdom on Male Privilege:

• You can contact the editors with questions at: wilgefortisbooks@gmail.com
• If you would like to publish with a pseudonym you are able, in your bio please use your chosen name for submission and include some generic information about where in the country you live and other identifying information you think would inform readers without compromising your privacy.
• Submit your non-fictional work (no longer than 20 pages), with a one paragraph biography to wilgefortisbooks@gmail.com
• Because we plan to work on other works on transitional wisdom, authors may submit as many contributions as they would like.

Call for Submissions: More Bible Stories

Edited by Megan Rohrer and Daniel Tisdel
(this book is the second volume of our Bible Stories Series)

We're looking for fictional stories that flesh out little known characters or tell stories with an eye toward contemporary issues.  This is not meant to be a translation or another version of the bible like The Message, rather authors will create a fictional story inspired by the ideas, characters or well known stories and reimagine them in a contemporary setting.  This may include writing about a character we don't know much about, or telling the before or after story that doesn't appear in the gospels. 

Your story can be smart, historically rooted, funny, provocative, progressive and/or political.  Stories should be rooted in justice, expand the diversity of people who can see themselves as faithful or simply be a good story.  While it's okay to reference fancy academic ideas, the audience for this book is progressive pew sitters, pastors and those curious about faith.

If you have a great idea, or are unsure if your submission fits what we are looking for, send it in anyway.  Our editors will work with you to help it meet our submission guidelines or to get it into another book or journal in our Bible Study that Doesn't Suck series.

Accepted authors will receive a free copy of the book.  Proceeds from the book will benefit Welcome: A Communal Response to Poverty and support projects that seek to end hunger.

Deadline for consideration for the second volume: May 15th.

How to Contribute to More Bible Stories: Reimagining Between the Lines:

• Contributors are encouraged to email pastor@gracesf.com before you begin writing.  Send a short synopsis of your idea and we'll give you feedback or let you know if we already have submissions using similar characters or stories.
• Email your fictional story (no longer than 20 pages), with a one paragraph biography to pastor@gracesf.com.
• Because we plan to do more than one volume, authors may submit as many stories as they would like.

Coming Soon: With A Day Like Yours, Couldn't You Use A Little Grace: Volume 3: September - December

With A Day Like Yours, Couldn't You Use a Little Grace (3 volume series)

Volume 2: September - December

This series, by Pastor Megan Rohrer, is for everyone who has been lied to and told that God couldn’t love them. In addition to reminding you that nothing, nothing, nothing can ever separate you God’s love, Pastor Megan Rohrer will also help you learn to accept this gift of grace and love yourself just as you are.

 
Whether you skim, only pull it out when you have a rough day or a bad breakup, or make readings part of your daily routine for a year, With a Day Like Yours, Couldn’t You Use Some Grace speaks to saints, sinners and everyone in between.   

Purchase your copy today:

You can purchase the whole set or just one book in either regular or large print below. You save $10 if you order all three books at once.  But, please remember Volume 2 will be released in August, Volume 3 in September and Volume 1 in December.  If you buy all three books they will be shipped to you as they become available.

All three editions $35.00 USD All three editions - LARGE PRINT $50.00 USD Vol. 1: Jan-Apr $15.00 USD Vol. 1: Jan-Apr - LARGE PRINT $20.00 USD Vol. 2: May-Aug $15.00 USD Vol. 2: May-Aug - LARGE PRINT $20.00 USD Vol. 3: Sept-Dec $15.00 USD Vol. 3: Sept-Dec - LARGE PRINT $20.00 USD

Ready to check out?  Click the button below.

If you are interested, you can check out the table of contents below. But, please remember, during editing, some of the topics may change slightly.

September                                                                              

September 1: Feast Day of St. Giles                                        

September 2: First ATM Opens                                              

September 3: Feast Day of Prudence Crandall                  

September 4: Feast Day of Moses and Aaron                

September 5: Feast Day of Mother Theresa           

September 6: First Tank Produced                                

September 7: Desmond Tutu Becomes the First Black

Man to Lead the Anglican Church in South Africa           

September 8: Leonard Matlovich is on the Cover of Time Magazine

September 9: Elvis Presley Appears on The Ed Sullivan Show                                                                                         

September 10: First Drunk Driving Test                               

September 11: Planes Fly Into The World Trade Centers   

September 12: Feast Day of Johnny Cash                              

September 13: The IBM 305 RAMAC is Introduced               

September 14: The First Date of the Draft Lottery            

September 15: The Lehman Brothers File for Bankruptcy  

September 16: Gandhi Fasts                                                  

September 17: Vanessa Williams Becomes the First Black

Miss America                                                                           

September 18: Ted Turner Donates 1 Billion Dollars to

the United Nations                                                                 

September 19: Birthday of Paulo Freire                                

September 20: Billy Jean King Beats Bobby Riggs                 

September 21: Feast Day of St. Matthew                             

September 22: Hobbit Day                                            

September 23: Bisexuality Day                                      

September 24: Feast Day of Dr. Seuss                            

September 25: Central High School Integrated            

September 26: Feast Day of Levi Strauss                        

September 27: Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul            

September 28: Ask a Stupid Question Day                     

September 29: International Coffee Day                  

September 30: Blasphemy Day                               

October                                                                                   

October 1: Feast Day of Tom Clancy                 

October 2: Feast Day of Rock Hudson           

October 3: OJ Simpson Acquitted                   

October 4: Jim Bakker is Indicted for Fraud  

October 5: World Teachers’ Day             

October 6: First U.S. Train Robbery        

October 7: Feast Day of Sergius and Bacchus

October 8: Feast Day of Che Guevera              

October 9: Feast Day of John Henry Newman        

October 10: World Mental Health Day         

October 11:   Sound Barrier is Broken          

October 12: Dia del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural    

October 13: Feast of Our Lady of Fátima           

October 14: Feast Day of Julius Nyerere             

October 15: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day             

October 16: The Warsaw Ghetto is Established      

October 17: The End of the Babylonian Exile            

October 18: Moby Dick is Published                          

October 19: Martin Luther Gets His Doctorate            

October 20: World Statistics Day                            

October 21: Birthday of Kim Kardashian         

October 22: The Cuban Missle Crises            

October 23: Mole Day                   

October 24: The First Barrel Ride Down Niagra Falls 

October 25: Birth of Pablo Picasso         

October 26: Birthday of Seth MacFarlane    

October 27: New York Subway Opens       

October 28: Feast Day of Simon the Zealot        

October 29: Birthday of Winona Ryder      

October 30: The War of the Worlds       

October 31: Martin Luther Posts the 95 Theses     

November                                  

November 1: The Sistine Chapel Ceiling Opens to the

Public                                                    

November 2: El Dia de los Muertos             

November 3: Feast Day of St. Martin de Porres 

November 4: Saint Joan of Arc Liberates Saint-Pierre-

le-Moûtier                                             

November 5: Feast Day of Elizabeth                               

November 6: UN Condemns Apartheid                

November 7: Magic Johnson Announces He is HIV+   

November 8: Feast Day of Johann von Staupitz      

November 9: Feast Day of Art Carney        

November 10: Sesame Street Debuts           

November 11: World War I Ends             

November 12: Ellis Island Closes            

November 13: The War on Terror Begins       

November 14: Feast Day of the Emperor Justinian    

November 15: The First Stock Ticker Debuts 

November 16: LSD is Created              

November 17: Birthday of Daisy Fuentes        

November 18: George Bernard Shaw Refuses the Money

for His Nobel Prize                                   

November 19: The Gettysburg Address         

November 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance     

November 21: National Adoption Day            

November 22: Feast Day of John F. Kennedy       

November 23: Feast Day of Harpo Marx     

November 24: Fire at a Dhaka, Bangladesh Clothing

Factory                                                   

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

November 26: FDR Creates the Thanksgiving Holiday      

November 27: The Assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk

November 28: Feast Day of King Kamehameha and Queen Emma

November 29: Feast Day of George Harrison        

November 30: Feast Day of Oscar Wilde        

December                                                      

December 1: World AIDS Day                        

December 2: Feast Day of Marquis de Sade        

December 3: Feast Day of Pierre-Auguste Renoir      

December 4: Led Zeppelin Breaks Up          

December 5: Planes Lost in the Bermuda Triangle        

December 6: Feast Day of St. Nicholas     

December 7: Pearl Harbor Bombed    

December 8: Feast Day of John Lennon      

December 9: Anna’s Day                       

December 10: Feast Day of Karl Barth        

December 11: Feast Day of Ravi Shankar     

December 12: Birthday of Bob Barker          

December 13: Al Gore Concedes the Presidency    

December 14: Monkey Day                      

December 15: The Leaning Tower of Pisa Reopens         

December 16: The Boston Tea Party            

December 17: First Airplane Flies             

December 18: Mayflower Docks at Plymouth Harbor      

December 19: President Clinton Impeached            

December 20: Feast Day of Katharina von Bora          

December 21: Feast Day of St. Thomas              

December 22: The Repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”     

December 23: Van Gough Chops His Ear Off            

December 24: Aðfangadagskvöld              

December 25: The Christmas Truce          

December 26: Feast Day of Jack Benny          

December 27: Feast Day of St. John               

December 28: The Arab Spring                    

December 29: Wounded Knee Massacre               

December 30: Kiss Me, Kate Opens                   

December 31: Birthday of Joey McIntyre