Posts Tagged ‘Open and Affirming’
The Future Of Faith From A Trans-Man’s Perspective
It’s 9:30 on Sunday morning. I show up to work with my shirt buttoned to the collar and my boots shined to a glossy black. I choose not to wear a tie most Sundays. The chain on my wallet swings freely from my back right pocket as I swagger in, copy of the liturgy in…
Read MoreWhen I Spoke Out, Support Poured Out
When I first joined the Many Voices Video campaign, I wrote a reflection on the importance of having the conversation around lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) acceptance in the Black Church—even when we’re not sure how. Since my video voicing my support as an ally and a southern minister was released, one thing is for certain: People…
Read MoreTrans Day Of Remembrance Is Over: Is Your Church Still Trans Inclusive?
Being visibly trans or gender non-conforming in the world means you have the privilege of dealing with a lot of people’s feelings about your presence more than you care to. Folks often want to tell you how they feel about your clothing choices, the way you are “successfully” or “unsuccessfully” portraying your gender and more…
Read MoreBeyond Marriage: There’s Work Left To Be Done
The recent appearance of pastors and churches declaring their willingness to perform marriages for same-sex couples has led to some of the most amazing imagery of the marriage equality struggle. Imagery the likes of which seemed all too impossible not long ago, especially in the deeply-red states of America. The pictures and stories of courage…
Read MoreA Prayer For Transgender Day Of Remembrance
Today, let us pray to whatever Universal energy, whatever God, whatever entity we feel resonates most with our intentions. Let us remember to hold space for all the trans people that have unfairly lost their lives due to discrimination, due to violence and due to the indifference of those who remain silent. Universe allows us…
Read MoreWhat LGBTQ People Need To Hear From Christian Leaders
“Sexual orientation is not a sin. Gender identity is not a sin. We are all created in the image of God.” For me, more than anything else—this statement is what I want to hear from our religious leaders. I want to hear the unambiguous pronouncement that people who are same gender loving, bisexual, transgender, non-gender…
Read MorePride From The Ashes Of Pain
“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned…
Read MoreDoes Your Church Welcome LGBTQ People?
I hold the church personally responsible for any LGBTQ person who walks away from God and Christianity. Every week, I get emails from individuals all across the country who are full of desire to be a part of a church. They want to go on the church-wide mission trip, join the choir, serve in the…
Read MoreKeeping My Church A Safe Place For The LGBTQ Community
My church, First Church Congregational in Rochester NH, has been “Open and Affirming” (a designation of the United Church of Christ) since 2002. The designation means that we make a specific commitment to welcome the LGBTQ community, to recognize the hurt that had been done to that community by the institutional church, and to work…
Read MoreMillennials, The Church, And Global LGBT Social Consciousness
Last spring, I wrote about a young woman named Dannika Nash who quoted the Macklemore song “Same Love” in some frank advice to the institutional church on behalf of millennials. She warned that if the church forced her generation to choose between it and their support of LGBT rights, it was going to be disappointed in the outcome. Her message…
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