Pride month reminds me that we, the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, have made great strides towards equality and justice. Yet, we still have much work to do, especially now with the current White House Administration, Senate and Congress. It is a month where I reflect upon my life, thinking about all that I have gone through to break the ‘glass ceiling’ within the church.
I begin my journey towards equality
I became the first out bisexual to be ordained in the American Baptist Churches, USA and the first out queer person to be ordained in the Philadelphia Baptist Association. Breaking down the doors of exclusion and oppression is important and vital work. Someone has to do it. When you are called by Jesus, you must follow his example of breaking down the gates of hell with his bare feet!
I remember sitting around tables, not so different from those in the Covenant Room at First Plymouth, with the Philadelphia Baptist Association Committee on the Ministry (COM). We were discussing my ordination paper.
The all-important 20-page paper
As a seminarian seeking ordination, I had to write a paper. This paper had sections where I introduced myself (my biography), where I wrote about various dogmatic principles, where, as a Baptist, I wrote about the Baptist principles, and a few other topics. It was a 20-page paper.
My mentors and I designed the paper so that it had only one ‘red flag’– my coming out. There were ‘yellow flags’ where I challenged conservative and moderate theology, and pushed the barriers of inclusion. But the only ‘deal breaker’ was my sexuality.
I remember sitting around those tables. Each member of the COM spoke about how my paper was the best paper they had ever read. It was well thought out, well argued, and well written. From this paper, they knew exactly who I was and what I believed. They spoke about how my paper showed my qualifications for ministry. And I thought, wow, I’m not going to get massacred.
For two exhausting hours, I was being grilled and holding my ground
Once they had spoken about the quality of the paper, the COM chair asked if anyone had any questions. The closeted queer member of my ordaining church who sat on the COM looked directly at me, and asked, “How do you get around the Levitical passage that says a woman cannot lie with a woman as a man lies with a woman.” I was floored. I couldn’t believe she would ask me such a question. And I knew I had to honor her closet. So I answered it. I broke down the barriers and misunderstandings around the ‘clobber passages’ of the Bible, not just the one in Leviticus. All of them.
That brought the next question. “How do you define fornication?” referring to Paul’s list of ‘bad things’ in his letters. To answer that one, I turned the traditional definition upside down and talked about it as one person using power over another to harm them — sexual activity between two people where one is not in consent. She pushed back. I held my ground.
These questions came at me nonstop for two hours. By the end, I was exhausted, and my mentors took me for a much-deserved margarita.
Going back for another round of badgering
The next day, we all got an email saying how impressed the COM was. But they had more questions for me. Back we went, the next month. Again, I answered questions about the dogma of ‘sin.’ This time it was based on my biography, not the dogma section of my paper. Two more hours of badgering. Two more hours of defending God’s love for queer people.
At the end of that meeting, everyone around the table agreed that I was an extremely qualified candidate. My pastor said that must mean I had passed the COM and would be moving on to an Ordination Council. The COM pushed back. My pastor stood his ground as a strong ally. He spoke about the abusive nature of the questions, about how I’d had to jump through many more hoops than those less qualified than I. He then told them that if they denied me ordination, my home church would do it anyway.
Sweet success at last
We got an email the next day inviting me to an Ordination Council! At that Council, I was deeply proud of my ordaining church. They showed up! The sanctuary was full of members supporting me. The entire youth group sat in the front row. They sat witness and called forth justice.
I became the first bisexual person to be ordained in the denomination.
The importance of allies
The doors of exclusion were broken down. The glass ceiling fell. All because one faith community decided to stand witness, to be strong allies in this journey toward justice.
We are called as a church to be allies in this crucial work. We must continue to break down the barriers within our churches, denominations, and country, especially right now.
We’re heading into some very challenging times. Our trans-siblings are targets. The doors that were broken open during Stonewall are closing again. New walls are being built to be sure that the doors stay shut.
Following Jesus’ example
Our job as an Open and Affirming Congregation is to stand strong for justice. We are called by Jesus to break open those doors every time the powers that be try to seal them. We are called by Jesus to love, love beyond all barriers. To use love to conquer hate. To be a community with our doors wide open to all who seek the embrace of the Loving God. We are called to be the hands and the feet of Jesus, descending into hell, breaking open those doors with our bare feet, and bringing back all who feel lost, unloved, cast out because of their sexuality and/or gender expression.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work
We must continue to do this vital work. I know that because I was willing to face crucifixion to become ordained, I opened a pathway for others who felt called by God to serve our churches.
Are you willing to stand strong, to support our LGBTQIA+ siblings?
Denver’s Pride Parade is coming at the end of June. We are called as people of faith to stand strong in the face of the violence and hatred embodied in this current administration. Denver Association of Rocky Mountain Conference UCC will gather together to march. We have created a cheering section if you are not able to march in the parade. This year’s parade is essential for our queer community members.
It speaks love in the face of hatred.
It shows joy in the face of oppression.
It marches peacefully in the face of violence.
It calls forth God’s Justice.
Some are unable to participate in the march but want to show their support. So, we will offer a worship service on the day of the parade that allows all FP members and friends to sing the songs of queer justice and welcome while those who are able can march.
However, we choose to support our LGBTQIA+ community, just know that we are making a difference. We are speaking LOVE. We are “Marching in the Light of God. Siyahumba ekukha kwen khos.”
May all our LGBTQIA+ siblings experience God’s embrace of them fully now and always.
