If you are struggling in this liminal space between worlds– authentically yourself answering God’s call in a church that you love and authentically yourself as a member of the LGBTQ community who wants to love and be loved– I’d like to say to you what I wish someone had known to say to me: You are beloved.

Reflections for each week of Advent. “To be a queer Christian in the United Methodist Church is to live in a perpetual state of Advent. I pray for the day when Christ moves in the United Methodist Church when I can share my joy and hope with the people I do life with as the body of Christ.”

A gay clergy person reflects on the impact of finally coming out. “People know the full me and my church not only accepts me, they see my openness about my orientation as important to my ministry. Since coming out, I have had several students and older adults come out to me, some for the first time ever, because they finally believed that the church wanted them and they truly belonged.”

“Fear was often my initial response to whatever difference I was invited (or forced by the Spirit) to bridge for the first time. And each time I was, to borrow a phrase from C. S. Lewis, ‘surprised by joy,’” a retired Virginia Conference elder shared as he reflected on his journey. “Until we as the church welcome, embrace, and include LGBTQ+ folks, our witness to God's full-bodied embrace and hospitality to all God's children is being hampered; fear continues to cripple our walk into God's new Way.”

This is the inspiring, heart-felt story of an LGBTQ+ couple and the United Methodist clergy person who officiated their wedding ceremony last year. “We cannot wait until it is finally safe for everyone to come out of the closet,” they shared. “We pray this story gives hope and confidence to stand together and to widen the door so all people may come out into the light.”

“As a result of the 2019 General Conference decision, I felt called to leave my church.” The author has continued to work for change through a new reconciling Sunday School class. “Until we have full inclusion of ALL persons in the church we have not completed the mission to follow Jesus Christ. His mission on earth was to serve all and therefore we must ensure his work is completed for all.”

Seeing a friend mistreated for standing up for an LGBTQ+ member of her congregation inspired this author to commit to positive change in the UMC. “I do this because it's the right thing to do. But I also do this because I expect my church and denomination to reject hate and persecution.”

I am proud of how I have stood up for LGBTQ+ inclusion, but at the same time it is affecting my mental health as the UMC continues to drag its feet. When I didn't stand up, nothing happened. Nothing happens when you sit on your hands or keep quiet. I need to keep raising my voice because it's the Christ-centered thing to do.

I was a career Army officer. Being identified as transgender was a career ender. Even after retirement I continued to work in the Department of Defense where being identified as LGBTQ was detrimental to one's career. That was detrimental to me emotionally and psychologically.

Our niece is gay. She told me how she was treated terribly in her home church and as a camp counselor at a United Methodist camp because of her homosexuality. But when her grandmother found out she was gay, she accepted her fully. When I die, I want it to be said that any teenagers or people of any age in my world knew without a doubt that I was fully supportive of them exactly the way God made them.

I cried through the church service when we recognized our graduating seniors. In the group was a gay young man and a trans youth. They do not attend church and one even went through confirmation, but refused to join the church. The overall UMC and many members thought they were sick and chose to live their lives in sin. Wonder why they do not want to be a part of the church or even attend.