Posts by Believe Out Loud
Exposure: The Hidden Shame Of Secrecy
I recently began corresponding with an old friend of mine who also grew up in a conservative Christian family. She is now an ordained minister and is the woman who presided over my marriage to my wife. We became friends in high school, but we hadn’t talked since graduation. When I moved to Seattle for…
Read MoreMany Voices: Celebrating the Soul of Justice
If you’re in DC—or coming into town for the Congressional Black Caucus or National Black Justice Coalition convenings—don’t miss Celebrating the Soul of Justice on September 17. Remember how worship and singing fueled the civil rights movement and encouraged Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and our community to move forward with resolve? So must we…
Read MoreComing Out Of The Wilderness & Into The City
Rev. David Weekley saw himself as a pastor tending to his flock until he came out as one of the first openly transgender ministers serving in the United Methodist Church. At the age of 58, his life moved in an unexpected direction, away from the institutional church and toward working with the transgender community. Becky Garrison…
Read MoreWhy Do I Care?
As issues surrounding gay rights are being brought to attention both in the political and religious arenas, it is impossible not to evaluate my own position within the movement. The question “Why do I, a person who does not identify as LGBTQ, care?” is often left unanswered; instead, we focus on why people are not in…
Read MorePresbyterian Welcome’s Year Of Youth
I touched down in New York City last year just two weeks after graduation from seminary to join the staff at Presbyterian Welcome. Though I didn’t know what would come from it, I knew that Mieke and I had a mutual passion: making sure that youth in and out of the church know they are loved, whether…
Read MoreGay Christian Student Removed From Work-Study Position At South Carolina University
Stephen Lovegrove, a rising junior at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina, was informed this past Monday that he had lost his federally funded work-study position a resident advisor (RA) at his school. Lovegrove recently began posting on the internet about how he identifies as gay and Christian, and the administration took notice. The administration brought the…
Read More“Who Am I to Judge?”
Pope Francis asked a stunning question: “Who am I to judge?” This was in response to inquiries about whether or not there are gay priests in the Vatican—the now-renowned “gay lobby.” In a 90-minute interview returning from his travels in Brazil, an affable, relaxed Pope Francis covered a range of topics, but the “who am…
Read MoreHope From The Pope: Making A Truth-Filled Mess, Judgement Free
As I sit at my gate waiting for the flight to the US at the end of a transformative week at World Youth Day in Rio, I have been reflecting on the various messages we have received from the pope: live your truth, make a mess, and who am I to judge. This week has…
Read MoreFacing Possible Charges, Methodist Minister Reflects On Meeting With Bishop
In May 2013, Rev. Steve Heiss wrote to Bishop Mark Webb, the bishop of the Upper New York Conference, to explain why he officiated the same-sex wedding of his daughter and others. This letter prompted a formal complaint from a clergy colleague. This blog is Rev. Heiss’ reflection on his meeting with Bishop Webb and the minister who filed…
Read MoreA Queer Church In Texas
The Church at Mable Peabody’s is a queer church in Denton, Texas. While we are queer because of our various sexualities, expressions, and identities, we are also often considered queer due to our choice of love in a Texas culture dominated by hatred and vengeance. This is where that queer Jesus comes in. One of…
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