My Faith. My Mississippi.

A white church with a steeple surrounded by trees.

I am Denise Donnell. I am an ordained elder in the Mississippi Conference in the United Methodist Church. I have been a member of the clergy for the last eight years of my life. I wish I could tell you that I have always been a friend of the LGBT community, but that is not…

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10 Reasons We’re Proud To Be LGBTQ Christians

Why are you proud to be an lgbtq christian?.

10. We are made in the image of God: 9. We are a witness to God’s radical love: 8. God promises us eternal life: 7. Our faith is miraculous: 6. We are called to transform the world: 5. God journeys with us: 4. Our experiences teach us how to love authentically: 3. God has freed us from shame: 2. Embracing…

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Thongs Galore: Taking On My First Pride Parade

A woman with a rainbow painted face is posing for the camera.

When I woke up on the morning of Seattle Pride 2013, I was not ready for “Thongs Galore,” and that bothered me. In my mind, going to the annual Pride Parade was just an item on the list of things queer kids did. Also on the list were listening to Lady Gaga, loving Rent, and…

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Living The Resurrection: My Church’s First LGBT Program

A church with a steeple under a cloudy sky.

It was Saturday afternoon at 3:38 pm: the doors to the auditorium had been open for 18 minutes, and we already had a filled room. We talked about streaming in one overflow room, but we ended up with three rooms. This was the first program Andrews University, the flagship institution of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA)…

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Loving My Queer Identity

A rainbow with water droplets on it.

This Valentine’s Day, I pledge to love my queer identity. I pledge to honor the truth I hid for ten years—the door that remained unopened, the secret I was too afraid to face. Today, I pledge to love the part of myself I was told to hate. I pledge to remember the relationships I never had,…

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Learning From Others: A New Year’s Challenge

A colorful firework explodes over a church.

As we move into this New Year, I would like to share and reflect on three stories from my life that have helped shaped my message for today’s blog: A few weeks ago I was working in Ohio. My organization, Integrity USA, is working there to help gay, lesbian, bi, and trans* people get housing, employment,…

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2013’s Top Ten Moments in Christian Faith & LGBTQ Equality

A group of people holding signs at the supreme court.

Donate today to support the movement for Christian faith and LGBTQ equality! This year has brought unprecedented progress toward LGBTQ inclusion and equality in the United States and around the world. Even as we gain traction in our work, debates over Christian faith and LGBTQ equality persist. Here are the top ten moments from these…

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Behind The Scenes: Believe Out Loud’s Internship Program

A man in a black coat leaning on a railing in the woods.

Interns like John are invaluable to our work at Believe Out Loud. Donate today to continue our Internship Program. Hello, Believe Out Loud readers! My name is John, and I was the graphic design intern for Believe Out Loud this past summer. In May, I obtained my BFA from Frostburg State University, and I’ve spent my time since my…

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