Inside This Issue Editorial: Happy Holidays Calendar & Event Reminders Executive Director Election Results A Virtual LDS AIDS Memorial Quilt Ben Jarvis Receives the 2003 Paul Mortensen Award New Mailing List Helps Married, Divorced Gay Men

Scott MacKay

Editorial: Happy Holidays

By Scott MacKay

Dear Affirmation,

This holiday season is a time of great reflection for me. It represents my last month as executive director of Affirmation. My first grandchild is going to be born to a daughter who was just 12 my first year of service nine years ago, and Michael and I are heading into our 9th year together : ) Yep, it's a time of change, and I celebrate it all.

I used to be fearful of getting "older," of change, but not anymore. I'm enjoying this stage of my life, and the fact that I have come such a long way down the road away from self-hatred, guilt and inner homophobia. Have I completely arrived? Nope, but I sure feel better inhabiting my skin! Along this path, the one lesson that I've learned absolutely is that God loves me just the way I am, that I wasn't some big mistake, or freak, or self-created sinner. I am exactly as I was created to be--queer as a goose!

Now I'm getting off the stage, but am I leaving Affirmation? Absolutely not! This is my family of choice. We have our moments--dysfunctional, frustrating, maddening, blah blah blah :)--but I love it! Most of the time, it is fantastic. I'm looking forward to returning to running the Development/Endowment fund and finding ways to finance some really exciting projects! You'll be hearing from me ($$$) and I hope you'll give generously. We have A LOT of important things to do and we need the bucks to do it. After all--isn't this about the time of tithing settlement? ;)

Thank you Olin, Darren, Hugo, and Alan for a really great year. And Mr. Executive Director-Elect, Olin: good luck. I have no doubt that you, Allison, James, Hugo, and Mike will do one heck of a job. I hand you my tiara and wish you god speed on your trip down the runway!

Merry Christmas, you wonderful family I claim as mine! I love you. Thank you so much for more than I can ever say. My mom's favorite statement fits my feelings perfectly: "We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." I love you, Affirmation, and I am a far better man for it!

Merry Christmas! & God Bless Us--Everyone!

Scott

P.S. Don't forget to include Affirmation on your gift list. To donate, go to <www.affirmation.org>. The link is right on the home page.

Event Reminders

Join us December 14, 6:00 pm PST, for a session of Affirmation chat. Information on how to register and log in is permanently posted at <www.affirmation.org/chat>.

A tentative program for the Mexico Conference is posted on our website at <www.affirmation.org/Mexico2004>. Start saving now and join us for this historic event.

The January issue of Affinity will include 1-paragraph stories describing how the various Affirmation chapters celebrated Christmas. Please send your report to the editor! Pictures are encouraged, but you must make sure that those posing are ok with having their pictures posted on the Web.

Olin Thomas (right) has asked Alyson Bolles (center), and James Morris (left) to be his assistants

by Paul Mortensen

The election committee has completed counting the ballots for Executive Director of Affirmation for 2004. There were 226 ballots sent out to eligible voters and 83 ballots were returned by the deadline. Of these, 82 votes were cast for Olin Thomas for Executive Director. (There was one abstention because they didn't know the candidate.) While this is not a record number of votes cast in an election it is a record percentage number of votes cast for one candidate. We want to congratulate Olin Thomas in his election.

The election committee would like to give a great big "THANK YOU" to Scott MacKay for his many years of dedicated service to Affirmation and to each of us. He has served with unbelievable enthusiasm for the organization and we hope that he will continue to serve and be there for us.

And we congratulate Olin Thomas on becoming our new Executive Director for 2004. Olin has already proved over the years his dedication and service to Affirmation. We would hope that each of us will dedicate ourselves to support Olin in his efforts and that each of us will find a way in the coming year to give something back to Affirmation and support in anyway we can. Bless you, Olin, as you begin your term and we wish you the very best in success.

Election Committee
Paul Mortensen, Chairman

Ben Jarvis Receives the 2003 Paul Mortensen Award
Congratulations, Ben!

Ben Jarvis receiving the 2003 Mortensen Award

From the official announcement read at the 2003 Affirmation Conference in Salt Lake City:

Ben Jarvis joined Affirmation in 1994, and from day one he "hit the ground running." He has been working for Affirmation in one capacity or another from 1994 up to the present. Perhaps Ben's most visible contribution to Affirmation was his leadership in bringing us the Long Beach National Conference in 2001. The conference was one of the best we have had and succeeded even though it was nearly sidelined by the 9/11 events that preceded it by a few days.

Ben Jarvis is the person you are referred to when you call the national phone line. In that capacity, Ben has spent countless hours on the phone counseling and helping people who are trying to come to grips with their homosexuality and Mormonism. Some of you here may have had your first contact with Affirmation with him.

Ben Jarvis is a principled man of character. He has also included his parents and other family members in his efforts for us. His dedication and service to Affirmation has made him a dear friend to many of us in this organization. He is indeed one of Affirmation's great ambassadors.

So it is with enthusiasm that Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons is happy to give the 2003 Mortensen Award for outstanding service and leadership to Ben Jarvis from the Los Angeles Chapter.

New Mailing List Helps Married, Divorced Gay Men

The Cha-Cha Brotherhood is group of gay LDS men who are married or have previously been married. Our purpose is to provide friendship, a listening ear, and sometimes a shoulder to cry on. We welcome other married, separated, or divorced gay LDS men regardless of whether you are active in the church or not, or whether you are out, closeted, or in the process of coming out. We're not here to cruise on each other, we're here to offer support and caring. If this sounds like the kind of environment you are looking for, we welcome you.

You can learn more about the Cha-Cha Brotherhood by visiting their website at groups.yahoo.com/group/the_cha-cha_brotherhood/.