Hi, Y'all. I would like to tell you about my church. It is in Minneapolis, and it's called Spirit of The Lakes. We are a UCC church. About 18 years ago, a bunch of more liberal congregants split off from the local MCC church, just a few blocks away, to form our church.
At first they met in people's living rooms, but after a few years they took the leap, and bought a building. Somehow it was decided that getting more bang for the buck was more important that ecclesiastical niceties, and they ended up buying a warehouse! They were up to the job of making a church out of a warehouse, and the place is beautiful, at least on the inside.
We are a small congregation, with about half ex-Catholics, and an amazing number of people who have been to seminary, usually the local United Theological Seminary. There are a number of members of the clergy, most of them straight, who attend our services, when they have a Sunday free. There are also a very special group of people who have decided to join
our church. They're
Straight people, and we love them. The comment is sometimes made that we are all a bunch of overeducated human service professionals. And we almost always have G, L, B, and T, at any service.
Edit: Oh, yeah, we also have a number of couples, and a single or two that are raising children. And Rebecca is pregnant! Much celebration to come.
1/19/07, I haven't been keeping track, here. Shannon was born today, a 7lb 10oz baby girl!
For most of my life, I have never found a place in the world that really seemed to fit. I identify strongly with women, and I have strong roots in the LGBTIA-etc. community. When I discovered Spirit about 7 years ago, I felt like I had come home. It is a place where I can learn and grow as a person, practice social skills, and make friends. It is a source of motivation and focus for me. I can be of service helping with social outreach, or just make myself useful doing repairs around the building.
We have two, perhaps three couples where the woman is still dating her once-boyfriend-now transwoman companion.
9/4/09: At present, we have about 7 trans people who attend our services. Minneapolis is a reasonably trans friendly place.
As a part of urban redevelopement, the building may be torn down, but this is on hold, due to financing problems. When it is, a new church will be put up.
9/4/09: We will merge congregations, and attend another UCC church, Minnehaha UCC, while our new building is being built.
As part of the new building, we will have attached 41 units of senior LGBT housing. This will be a community unto itself, and I expect to buy a unit sometime soon.
Minneapolis seems like a gay mecca, well, not San Francisco, but I think it's a
great place to live. We've got men's choruses, women's choruses, and a trans chorus. (They practice in our church) It is a much more tolerant and often accepting place for trans people. We've got social and political organizations all over the place. (See below)
http://www.outfront.org/ http://www.welcomingresources.org/
A few years ago, Fred Phelps came to town to protest the local MCC church, during the gubernatorial election, and most of the gubernatorial candidates came to MCC to protest HIM. Police security was provided by Captain Sharon Lubinski, an out lesbian, and the Dykes on Bikes came by in a noisy show of support. I love it!
So now many of you know about some of the great things going on in my life. Move to Minneapolis, we've got lots to share.
Peace and Love, Bruce Chris