Monday, December 31, 2012

Looking Back on 2012

2012 also afforded me time to fiddle with oil paints.
2012 is coming to a close, and another year beckons. In a few hours, 2013 will arrive with the promise of new experiences. I look forward to another year of work, friends, family, reading, travel, gardening, brewing beer, fiddling with oil paints, and blogging. For Republic of Gilead, this means another year of observing the Religious Right, reporting on regional events, and sharing commentary with my readers.

Before we bid adieu to 2012, I'd like to highlight some of the regional events I attended in person this year. Some were unsettling Religious Right gatherings, while others were refreshing opportunities to learn and recharge.


(1) On September 22nd, I observed Exodus International's Love Won Out Conference at the West Shore Evangelical Free Church in Mechanicsburg, PA.

(2) On August 28th, I observed an Exodus International equipping event for service providers at the West Shore Evangelical Free Church in Mechanicsburg, PA.

(3) On June 30th, I attended 2012 Creation Northeast, an annual Christian music and culture festival at Agape Farm in Mount Union, PA. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found!

(4) While enjoying the food, music, and vendors at 2012 Harrisburg Pride at Riverfront Park in Harrisburg, PA, I witness several Christian "faith healers" in action.

(5) On January 27th, I volunteered at the fantastic 2012 Creating Change Conference in Baltimore, MD, hosted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.


I'd like to thank all of Republic of Gilead's readers, for whom this blog is a labor of love. Thank you all for reading, commenting on, and sharing these blog posts. Let's continue to keep a wary eye on the Religious Right together!

12 comments:

  1. Thanks, and keep up the good work!

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  2. Thanks for all your work, Ahab!

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    1. Jono -- Thanks for reading! Enjoy the New Year.

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  3. Love the painting! I'm really grateful for your blog. It's both eye-opening, and a reminder of where I came from. I am glad to say that back in the day, I was the type to attend the music fests, and not the anti-gay, anti-what-have-you gatherings, so that's one less cringe to bear!

    Thanks, and keep it up!

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    1. Michelle -- For readers like you, it's a pleasure. Best wishes for 2013.

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  4. Thanks for all your time and energy spent monitoring these bigots and bringing out the truth about them. Freedom in this country has no more dangerous enemy.

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    1. Infidel753 -- Very true. To resist the Religious Right, we need to know what they're up to. Thanks for reading my blog, and have a Happy New Year.

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  5. I feel like I'm falling into your painting...

    I hope it's not the inside of a throat of a sandworm. :-)

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    1. Grundy -- Heh heh! The Baron Harkonnen could tell you!

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  6. I am about a week late with this comment, but I just wanted to thank you for all the time and effort you put into this outstanding blog. This blog may be a labor of love, but it is also a unique and valuable resource for the public. I hope you realize that.

    The one thing that I hope you will do in 2013 is to allocate a portion of the time you dedicate to RoG and use it to better promote the site. This blog should be a go-to site and it should be on the blogrolls of many other bloggers. You deserve the attention so don't be shy about self-promotion.

    Happy New Year!

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    1. Anonymous -- Thank you for the encouragement! Do you have any advice on networking and self-promotion?

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