Hi, My Name is Darren

[dmcdonald]

My name is Darren McDonald, and I am a homosexual, and I'm proud of it.

It took me a bloody long time to raise up the nerve to say even the first part of that, but I now am at a place in life where I am starting to learn to celebrate the unique road God has laid out in front of me. Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of helping close a rally in response to California's Prop 8 by leading the crowd in singing "we are a gay and lesbian people, and we are singing for our lives," and I was able to celebrate how far God has brought me. For the longest time, I couldn't directly come out of the closet (I'd end up coming out to my friends by saying "what do you think, [someone else] would think if I came out to her?")

I grew up at a conservative evangelical Presbyterian Church that has been threatening to leave the denomination over the "gay agenda" (if only we were that organized!) for almost a decade now.

I went to a conservative evangelical Christian college (Westmont, in Santa Barbara), thoroughly convinced that I was straight. Although I'd get into passionate arguments about the attractiveness of Matt Damon and had a bit of thing for cross-dressing.

After Westmont, I went to Fuller Seminary, feeling called to convert the church to humanity. There, I was able to acknowledge my sexuality, but I went through the agony of praying for change and trying to force myself into embodying the gift of celibacy that God has rather clearly (and blessedly!) denied me.

I began the painful process of coming out of the closet and moving towards self-acceptance after I graduated from Fuller in 2006. By this point, I had received a more specific call towards ministry as a hospital chaplain, and I was able to grow quite a bit in both my self-awareness and self-acceptance through the chaplaincy formation process of clinical pastoral education.

I am now a chaplain in Arcadia, CA and a member of the Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles. I am also pursuing ordination in the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

I also dabble in songwriting as a singer/guitarist in the folk-rock idiom. If you're interested in hearing some of my stuff, you can hear a couple of songs at http://www.myspace.com/darrenmcdonald

So, that's me in a bit of a nut shell (emphasis on nut?)

Darren McDonald

[Daniel]

Darren,

Glad you found your way here. And that you were able to acknowledge being gay. That takes a lot when one is conservative. I know that myself having grown up pentecostal.

Hope to see you on the boards!

Daniel

[FoxInSox]

Darren,

You survived seminary?!? I barely survived my Southern Baptist youth group and the fundie culture of the Christians at college (in semi-rural Texas)...and I'm straight. I can't imagine how difficult that kind of culture must have been for you.

I looked up Fuller...it sounds alot different than the seminaries I'm familiar with (Dallas Theological, Southwestern). What was it like?

Take care,
Michelle

[labguy22]

At first I thought my story was so unique, but ever since finding Soulforce I find I am but one drop in an ocean of gay
I am glad you were able to come to terms with who you are and still continue in your calling.

[Pablo Rafael]

Hi Darren,

Glad to meet you. Please make your voice heard on the forums.

I always have to say hi to people from the LA area. I moved to Colorado from Los Angeles (Hollywood area). It has been a long time since I was there. I really liked living in LA. Always something interesting going on.

I was for 24 years in church work (teaching). All the time I was in the closet. It can be difficult to be in church work and gay at the same time. It is great that you have found a ministry where you can be "out" and accepted.

Interestingly when I was in my "trying to be straight" stage of life I had a girlfriend who was going to Fuller Seminary. She was studying to be a chaplain, and is now in that field.

Tu Amigo, Pablo

[Gennee]

Welcome to the site, Darren . I applaud you for completing your studies and still continue to pursue educaton. I'm in graduate school at Ashford University (taking classes online). I'm studying education and technology. I plan on teaching. So happy that you're here and accepted being gay. The day I accepted being transgender was one of the greatest days in my life.

Gennee