My Very Wonderful GLBT Church

[BruceChris]

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

[SolApollo]

Hey BruceChris,
I am happy for you, and know how you feel being in an affirming LGBT church. Likewise, I am also a member of a great UCC church in S. Ohio. While most areas in S. OH are homophobic, this church is a "mecca" for LGBT in this region.

Peace & Blessings!
Sol

[tdogg]

It does sound wonderful, BruceChris! You are blessed! Thanks for sharing.

[Zerbie]

Mmmmm. . .sounds like you really HAVE found a home there.

It sounds lovely. I think the UCC sounds interesting - if I were to check out a church, I would start there. I visited a service at one once, and had a really enjoyable time. Come ta think of it - also made it to an MCC church once, a long time ago, when I lived in Houston. I've attended church service all of TWICE since the age of 12 (on purpose that is, and not for mercenary reasons!). There's a lot of positive energy at those places.

Thanks for sharing - I would totally enjoy living in an LGBT community too, I've always wished I could live in San Francisco. A girl can dream!

[Jennifer5]

It sounds like you've got quite a nice place there! Happy for ya!

[LGBT FLIGHT ATTENDANT]

As you probably have surmised, my airline was one of those targeted by those terrorists. The feelings of 9/11 have returned after five years of easier memories.

We are one of those occupations where there is an element of danger connected with it. We are aware of this fact each and every time that we report to work. 99.9% of the time, we know our outcome is without a doubt the safest mode of transportation on earth. It is more dangerous for me to drive home from the airport any day of the week.

The LGW/EWR flight from the UK is a popular one. I have flown it countless times. Please keep praying that peace and turning swords into plowshares is the new mantra for our age.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by LGBT FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Please keep praying that peace and turning swords into plowshares is the new mantra for our age.

That's Micah 4:3! We are teaching that in this week's children's Sunday school lesson. What a beautiful passage.

[katie_davis1]

What a blessing to have found a church family as wonderful as the one you seem to have found. I can't say that I currently a member of a church and that makes me sad. I know that one day God will guide me to the right church, for now its just a matter of continually trying to find one. My parents started a neat church in Tomball, TX (outside of Houston) and it is truly incredible. I think you would really like it! I wish I still lived at home just for the church!

[jedismama]

BruceChris,
What a wonderful worship environment. I grew up in Minneapolis and remember seeing Spirit of the Lake somewhere on one of my visits home recently. I wasn't aware of my bisexuality when I lived in Mpls. I was a strong straight supporter of the gay folks I knew, but never knew why it was SO important to me.

I used to volunteer with YES/NEON a 24 hr. crisis and referral line. The phones from the Gay and Lesbian Helpline rolled over to YES in the evenings so we were trained to be sensitive to gay folks and gay issues. That's really all of the contact I had with queer folk back then...1987.

I'm so glad there are churches that welcome and embrace LGBT folks. Cathedral of Hope used to be MCC in it's infancy through adolescense...now we're UCC. From what I've learned so far, this is a great alliance for us. When I lived in Oakland, CA I was familiar with a number of awesome UCC churches.

Thanks for directing me to this thread.
G-d Bless,
Julie Anne

[Cheese-Love]

Your church sounds amazing!

I live up in STC, but wouldn't mind an hour's trip when I get my liscence in August... It sounds like something I'd really like to see :]

On a different note... Fred Phelps, wow! I know all about him. It's kind of a point of interest with me, sadly.

[Gennee]

I'm very happy that you've a place that you feel comfortable. Remember, it's people who are the church, not the building. Seems like Minneapolis is LGBT friendly. I'll have to come one day and check it out. Once agin, congratulations.

Gennee

[drewcaine]

That was an awesome history. Yeah, Phelps gets on my nerves as well, to put it mildly.>_>
drewcaine

[LightGoddess]

It sounds WONDERFUL! May your Church be blessed. May it grow and it's seeds bring forth many such Churches throughout the land.

Rev JL Wortham

[nickisingle]

I ve never met person like you Bruce Chris I will write more when I reach home!!! my work from 09: 00 - 18:00 and Now its 19: 00..... and I must hurry up....but when I started read your posts....I forgot about everything!

Yours Nicki Viner