HarmlessEccentric
04-08-2007, 11:57 AM
Happy Easter!
At this time last year, vacationing in Chicago, I wandered into an unfamiliar church on Sunday morning. By coincidence (or, I prefer to think, the hand of God), it was a United Methodist Reconciling congregation. There on the first page of the bulletin was a statement that all sexual orientations were welcome. The announcements made plans for the gay pride march and for a series of classes on making Christianity more welcoming to GLBT people.
It was an epiphany. For the first time, I saw an alternative to the choice I'd made for fifteen years, which was living in solitude because I couldn't be straight and gay people can't be Christians. There in the pew, I told God, "All right, then, if I have your blessing, I'll try to find out what it would mean to live as a gay person."
This Easter, I celebrated the holiday in a reconciling congregation in my own city, surrounded by straight and gay, coupled and single friends. It's not such a big deal any more. The only shadow on the occasion was that my new girlfriend is out of town visiting her family, but I know I'll see her again soon.
So happy Easter to everyone who is part of a gay-welcoming church, and thank you from the visitor whose life was truly transformed by the welcome you extend.
At this time last year, vacationing in Chicago, I wandered into an unfamiliar church on Sunday morning. By coincidence (or, I prefer to think, the hand of God), it was a United Methodist Reconciling congregation. There on the first page of the bulletin was a statement that all sexual orientations were welcome. The announcements made plans for the gay pride march and for a series of classes on making Christianity more welcoming to GLBT people.
It was an epiphany. For the first time, I saw an alternative to the choice I'd made for fifteen years, which was living in solitude because I couldn't be straight and gay people can't be Christians. There in the pew, I told God, "All right, then, if I have your blessing, I'll try to find out what it would mean to live as a gay person."
This Easter, I celebrated the holiday in a reconciling congregation in my own city, surrounded by straight and gay, coupled and single friends. It's not such a big deal any more. The only shadow on the occasion was that my new girlfriend is out of town visiting her family, but I know I'll see her again soon.
So happy Easter to everyone who is part of a gay-welcoming church, and thank you from the visitor whose life was truly transformed by the welcome you extend.