What Kind Of Church Do You Attend.

[Guest sharkguy]

I was born into a southern baptist church, but when my parents moved north, we started attending a UCC church (huge switch in politics and doctrine, I know). I was baptized and confirmed in the UCC denomination, and went to church pretty near every Sunday until I started college. I still occasionally go to a UCC or an episcopal(as that is my fiance's denomination) church, but I am less certain of what I actually believe now so I don't attend anywhere regularly. I have been having a hard time finding people in the LGBT community near me who don't resent Christianity, so that could be part of my uncertainty.

[Guest Nigh]

When I was a kid my mum would read me the bible right after she read something like "Hansel and Gretel," so I never really correlated God and all that whimsical stuff as anything more than a dull bedtime story. By the time I was older and in school I couldn't believe people took it all seriously.

So, yeah, only went to Church once- on free doughnut day.

[Danna]

Sarinah

I, like yourself, attend a Baptist church. I don't expect that when i go full time that they will understand! However one never knows until one tries.

[Guest Amanda joan]

MY GOD IS AN AWSOME GOD

I was raised Episcopalian which in catholic and part of the Anglican communion. I attended Sunday School through 12th grade. I stayed in communication with my Priest while I was in the Military. I was Baptisted, confirmed and Married in the same Church. I taught Sunday School for 10 years. I have served on Vestries at two different Churches, I have been in the choir, an usher, a layreader/chalis administrator and adult education director. I have also served as the senior Warden in both of my Churches. My current Priest is a gay woman who I have a great admiration for. She has been very helpful to me and encouraged me to go to the Annual Convention in Washington DC at the National Cathedrel as Amanda. I also found an organization called TransEpiscopal and after I posted a letter on their website about how accepting my Church was they had it printed in the National publication the Episcopal Live Newspaper. I have talked with the Bishop and he has been very supportive and so have the other members of my Church. I was also introduced by my Priest to many of the other Priests at convetion and they were all very nice to me. Some even commented on my make up. I ended you being regognized at the convention along with others from my Church in front of the 400 plus people by the Bishop during the closing cermonies. My Mother is very involved in the Church and she is now married to a retired Priest who still does services every Sunday for the Church I attended while I lived in New York. This Church as a world wide community has had allot of infighting about the accepence of openly gay Bishop Jean Robinson. The American Anglicans have fought for the acceptence of the LGBT community in our Church and in our leadership.

Sadly Church has been cancelled due to the snow storm. I have a deep spiritual faith and worship at home in bed almost every night. God is my friend and I have been praying to her for guidance in my transition. So far God has done a great job helpping me find the people I need to move through my transition. I am so increadibly blessed to have all that I have and I feel that with out God in my life none of this would have come to me so eaisly.

I firmly believe that if we embrace God's love for us good things will come to us. I also believe that a strong faith makes you beautiful in the eyes of the world and in the eyes of God.

God is the maker of all things seen and unseen. Look in the mirror and see the creation that God made and loves.

Peace & Love Amanda

[Guest Katrina Reann]

I no longer attend church but did for many years. But after seeing 3 church splits and one completely deslove it took a heavy toll on many of us. Most of the churches I have been a part were Full Gospel. I may have walked away from organized religion but have not turned my back on God. God is a very active part of my life and I strive to live according to His word. I believe in the power of prayer and that God still inspires today.

[Guest viv]

Hello Hun,

I was raised a Catholic but , unfortunately , and coming from bitterness/pain

re me being Trans. I drifted away from ALL religion. The revelations in the Catholic

Church over the last 20 years or so became , for me, the straw that broke the camals

back, I cannot forgive . I know so little about everything,,,,,but I have discovered this,

without believing in something/someone we quickly become **empty**. I firmly KNOW

beyond any shadow of a doubt that we as human beings need to have faith in a higher

power , its like we are programed to need this (( imo )) . For me love is a higher power,

for me GOD is the interaction between say two people ,,the person who holds out his/

her hand for help and the person who responds by holding that persons hand and saying,

"" tell me friend,,how can I help you "", that for me is part of why we are here , why

we enjoy the gift of life . I have come up with this sentence I try to live by.

" If you hold out the hand of friendship ,even when it is difficult, I will never oppose you "

I suppose the Church/ God question will haunt me forever , luv,viv

[Guest Vicky]

I was born into Catholic. We went to church only Christmas and Easter. Then I was trying to find the truth in Buddhism, Hare Krishna, Jehova Witness. Then He found me, and I am going to pentecostal churches, since.

Lily

[gennee]

I attend a non-denominational church. I've been a member for fifteen years.

Gennee

[Guest Cris]

I was raised and baptized in a Non Denominational Christian Church. I stopped going after I left home for college and when I met my wife we started going to a Baptist church. The preacher peed me off by asking his wife to tell us he wouldnt marry us.... course all of that was before I was out. Now many years later I am back at a non denominational Christian church again. The preacher and a few others know about me, not sure what most think about me. I havent worn a skirt to church yet, but I do dress fem.

Cris

[Guest Elizabeth K]

NOTE PLEASE???

This topic has been here for a while and the exact same name has been placed on a NEW TOPIC.

UPDATE - MaryEllen fixed this. NEVERMIND

Lizzy

[Guest AdrianRavensoul]

My parents were an ex-Jehovah's Witness mom who was disfellowshipped for marrying my Roman Catholic, half-Irish dad. I was allowed to choose my own path in terms of religion and did not choose to undergo baptism until I was eleven. I am just as comfortable attending Baptist, Anglican, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Lutheran and non-denominarional churches as I am attending Catholic ones. I came out to two of the priests (one an 87 year old Irishman and the other a 70-something from Chicago) in my church three years ago and to my surprise both of them stated that I am not "in sin" as an FtM and have encouraged me to take heart in the fact that God has "blessed me in my trasgenderism" and given me a "valuable gift"!!!! The majority of my friends are agnostics, atheists and adherents of varying spiritual and religious beliefs. Coexist indeed!

[Guest Kim Smith]

The Episcopal church of the US is probably a good representation of all churches in one denomination. They go from very conservative congregations that do not accept female clergy all the way to the diocese of New Hampshire, whose Bishop, Gene Robinson, duly elected by the entire diocese, is in an open same sex relationship.

The church I attend is very welcoming and even has a LBGTQ group called "The Beloved Disciples" and many openly gay people, who serve at all levels in the congregation.

Theology runs the gamut as well. Do a search for books of the Bishop John Shelby Spong and you will see the more progressive thinking side.

Having said all that, and truly loving the church I attend, I have to admit the only transgendered people I have seen attending a church service were in a Unitarian Universalist church.

So look around, Check out the websites and try them out. The communion of an accepting congregation is a wonderful thing, and you can find it!

[Guest Tanyalynn]

I go to a Calvary Chapel, but only as a male. I know that they would be against transitioning, but they dont pick on one type of sin over the other. Like me, they would hold to the position that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Im not trying to hammer on anybody with that last statement, please understand- its just my belief. I know more than a few churches that are welcoming to the lgbt community that would make the same statement...

[VickySGV]

Another Episcopalian here. I am in the process of coming out in my parish, and last month met with the "Vestry" (governing board) in female mode. My priest (a woman) is VERY open and excited about helping me transition in the parish where I have been a member for 23 years. The Vestry members are of course confused and a little unsure of what I need them to do for me, but the dialog is going on, and as I approach FULL full time I think it will help them nearly as much as me. The parish is going through a time when change is needed, and I have both a special outlook on my personal change, and I have special training in the concept of Change Management and the psychology that goes with it. My diocese now has a female assisting bishop who has a wonderful female partner of many years. I have attended diocesan events as my female self during the past year, and have felt wonderful about it. Either no one noticed, or no one cared that I was trans. There is a nationwide Transgender organization in the Episcopal Church that has a web site as well.

[Guest BaybiiB3ll]

My partner and i have talked numerous times about whether or not there were TLGB (Trans first for me! Lesbian second for my partner!) friendly churches in our area and what they would be like. Considering most Christians believe the bible translates to say that being anything but a heterosexual/bio-gender person is a sin, i am curious as to how Christians who accept us would argue that. I know what i believe about being a Christian and Trans, and i wonder what a whole church that accepted TLGB would declare to believe on the matter. Anyways, sorry off subject a little , I am actually just so excited to have found this site let alone topics i often wonder about but never get to discuss (besides with my partner.) This is so exciting!!

I used to attend a spanish-speaking-only Baptist church and i know if i walked in there today i would not be welcome no matter how graciously they tried to do it. My partner grew up in Catholic, Assembly of God, Vineyard and non-denominational churches. I think we would be willing to check out any denomination TLGB friendly church and give it a try just for being that!

We consider ourselves, first and foremost, Christians =]. And we know that God has a special place in his heart for us and hurts with us holding our hands through all the hard things we go through as trans and loves us just as much as everyone else because he knows our hearts and who we are inside.. God does not look at appearance. It really sucks that some Christians have forgotten to be like Him. I can't wait to find a church that is.

lots of hugs to all you beautiful people <3 <3 <3,

Jasmine

[Guest BaybiiB3ll]

Oh! I forgot to add.. i don't think i would go back to my church even if no one knew it was me or that i was trans. I don't think i would feel at peace worshipping next to people that would reject me if they knew my secret. I don't want people to know i am transgendered anyways, but i couldn't go as me, knowing they wouldn't see me as me if they knew that one little thing about me. I will still love them even if they judge me because i understand they can't get past their prejudices in a few seconds, but i would probably not gain anything beneficial to have my spiritual fellowship with people who hate, not just what i do, but "What I Am" (not to be mistaken for "who i am".. ("hate the sin not the sinner" )). They hate the biggest thing about me. God gave us the Church to build each other up and support each other, to show each other who God is by our actions, words and love. Would that Church still be there for me if they thought i was sinning by portraying myself as who i think i really am, as God knows i am? Maybe, but they would see me as a sinner who lost her way, not as a fellow traveler, with the same destination on the road beside them. I couldn't, but thats just me. I can't wait to find a church that loves Everything about me and sees who i really am <3 .

Jasmine

[VickySGV]

One of the big issues for churches that accept GLBT people is that the scriptures cited most often by the other churches were written in times that were ignorant of GLBT people as such, and refer to other behaviors than what constitutes our lives. For the Old Testament, actually some of the most helpful explainers have been Rabbi's of the Jewish Congregations who themselves are one of the GLBT family. The current interpretations are that when the verse was written, the writers were addressing issues that separated people from the worship of YHWH. Our spirituality instead helps us focus on YHWH and more appropriately worship and live with IAM.

The Christian take in the New Testament is also that the writers were addressing specific behaviors of their day and did not have foreknowledge of what current day GLBT were really like. As with the Old Testament, the prohibited behaviors separated the person from the congregation which was their spiritual communities. There are other items also that are stressed, and the major one is the Jesus forgives and reconciles us with YHWH even if we are coming up short on the daily good turns. The sacrament of Holy Communion is a central part of the Christian church's lives.

I noted above that I am Episcopalian, and I have also been a participant in MCC congregations as well.

[Guest c.nikki.c1]

I'm a member and attend a Southern Baptist Church. This denomination is not typically GLBT friendly but church I attend is very involved in the betterment of the community... so for now that's where I go.

Cath

[Guest Meri]

Another plug for the UCC church, I have been attending one regularly since last October, they are surprisingly liberal about all things political and with their understanding of Jesus, who he was, etc. It's very refreshing and has confirmed my feeling that Jesus is best viewed as a great teacher, a master. The rest of the "lore" is open to interpretation.

-Meri

[Guest heatherf]

I'm a member and attend a Southern Baptist Church. This denomination is not typically GLBT friendly but church I attend is very involved in the betterment of the community... so for now that's where I go.

Cath

Mine is too. I'm thinking about talking to one of the pastors in maybe a year once I figure out things a little bit more for myself.

Also, someone at my church just mentioned this book: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Church-Too-Safe-Upside-Down/dp/0310331234 It made me think of what a poor job of outreach we do to the LBGT community.

I remember one sermon where it was incidentally mentioned and the gist was "well if they repent, we should welcome them. Try not to be too freaked out."

[Guest pockychaser]

I'm a Baptist, and consider myself pretty fundamentalist. Unfortunately, the church I attend has a pretty strict interpretation of the verses relevant to the LGBT community, an interpretation I myself held and struggled to reconcile with my feelings. I haven't come out yet, and I don't know if I will for as long as I'm a part of that congregation. It's otherwise a very good church, though, with heavy emphasis on music, which I greatly appreciate. For as long as I'm in the area, I'll be sticking with it, but I plan to eventually move to Japan. :3

[Guest Toni]

I'm presbyterian. I just recently found out that they accept homosexual clergy, so I'm not feeling quite so awkward about going to church, now, because I know they must accept LGBT, right?

[Guest]

Only if you join the seminary! Just kidding. Jody

[Guest]

Okay - I did it. It was scary, attending church. But it was the UU, Unitarian Universalists. There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of there. I can't say that I understand too clearly what they're about, beyond the fact that they're INclusive to all, and basically non-deistic. Which all works for me. I'm not planning on being a member yet, but I at least feel good about recommending it to anyone who is seeking a spiritual home for themselves.

Love, Megan

[Guest Addi]

I attend and worship in a Metropolitan Community Church. This church is not only inclusive and accepting, it's loving and caring. A tremendous emptiness I felt has been filled since I rediscovered my faith.

Hugs to all,

Addi