Hi all,

it would be great to hear how different ones are involved in their churches. Either in full time work or as volunteers. If you are not out, would it affect your ministry if you were to come out? And those who are active in gay-accepting churches, please tell something about what you do. I do many things in my church and would like to share experiences. My main thing is a Christian women's website (not in English so far, sorry!) and various things to do with new media but also leading Bible study and discussion groups. I have visited many ministry sites but would be glad of some input here, too, as there is this topic here!

Hoping for some posts,
Bluewings

Hi!

Well, I'm pretty active at my church. I'm involved with music mainly....I'm the children's choir director, and I help to direct the adult choir as well. I sing in the adult choir, am involved in a Bible study & Sunday school class, and am thinking about starting a prayer small group in my home this fall ??? Busy, yes, but I enjoy it! Our choir director is openly gay, and is accepted. I'm new to my church, so I'm not out to anyone, and my partner goes there too. Though it's funny, all of my friends, some family, and even some colleagues of mine knew that we were involved BEFORE we even knew!!!!!!! LOL~ So I'm sure ppl know at church too! Go figure....we're in love! Ok...I'm off topic now, but there are some who are gay at my church, and the people are very accepting of the person! My pastor is accepting of all of this and said to me, there's nothing in the Bible that says that committed homosexual relationships are a sin!!! I love that guy! I love my church too....

Abigail

Isaiah 40:31

Oh....one more thing!! About the website...go for it! I felt inspired, if you will to do that this past Sunday, and put up a website Sunday night! Its focus is on the wounded, particularly in the church, and doing Bible study and book studies focusing on love and grace. I was not treated well at my past church- very judgmental. So this is a website for not just those feeling rejected as glbt's, but as anyone that didn't meet the "church's" standards. I've been wanting to do something. So there it is. You can visit it and see what you think about it. I hope it helps with ideas for your site. Good luck1!

Abigail
http://wholegrace.tripod.com

Isaiah 40:31

Here's the right url:
Encourager

Isaiah 40:31

Hi Bluewings,

Like your screen name -- it reminds me of a favorite type of butterfly here -- blue wings edged in black. Very beautiful.

I'm an ordained minister serving on a church staff. It has been an amazing experience to find a place of ministry after many years of having to find creative ways of fulfilling my calling while working whatever job I needed to at the time to pay the bills.

My ministry is full of joys and challenges. The biggest joy is doing what God has called me to do in a church that is serious about discerning the leading of God and following the teachings of Jesus. My work at church includes a little of everything -- from leading a children's program to preaching to pastoral care to christian education.

Thanks for starting the conversation!

Seeker

I see this discussion is a bit old however I wanted to share a bit. I had been non active in the church since my divorse with my husband. When I and my ex wife were together we tried to become members of a Baptist Church in the city here. The pastor there had no problem with us becoming members, the church did however. Before my wife and I broke up I was praying about the Church God would have me go to and be involved in. I sort of forgot about my request till some time later I had a lady call me and invite me to her church and offered to interput Sunday School for my deaf son whom she use to work with when he was preschool age. Not long after I had a gay friend of mine invite me to the Church her and her wife were going to.. later I discovered it was the same Church. Talk about Gods leading.. I began going there when I was still with my ex-wife and remain to go. Just this Spring I requested to become a member in which I was accepted. Just in the past three weeks I became involved in playing my 12 string guitar on the praise and worship team. At the time when I started, there were two guitarists who were playing. After the first practice I told them that I wasn't going to play since they already had two guitars playing and didn't really need another and since the pastor mentioned we'd only have two guitars playing each Sunday and we'd have to switch off. I had prayed about it and told God if he wanted I'd lay my guitar down and serve wherever else he wanted me. The next Sunday I had two people ask me to come back and play with the team so I agreed. We had four guitarists as there was another person who just started the team when I had...two weeks later he dropped out and the one guitarist who had been playing for a very long time has been gone since I started and will be for another two weeks. I've had a few differant people approach me and thank me for playing. With that in mind I must say God uses gay people in the ministry. My pastor told me a month ago when I was talking to him about some things in my life that were happening at the time, "to be honest with you, the people in this church don't know how to take you." Now he says I don't mean that in a bad way. NOw if you were to see me...I dress in boys clothes and I have tattoos on both arms and on every side of my neck except for the front. I love playing Sunday morning for praise and worship, it is empowering..the feeling is unexplainable...

Way cool. I totally understand about "empowering" and "unexplainable". There is something so awesome, majestic, reverential, empowering and humbling when serving God’s people in a ministerial capacity. Most times you can tangibly feel God’s love ‘channeling’ through you to His (and Her!) people (and in worship feel His peoples love flowing back to Him!). I hate using a ‘new age’ term like “channeling” to explain the feeling but it fits. Sometimes God’s love is so overpowering I feel like, and do on occasion, start to cry. They are not tears of sorrow though – they are tears of great, great joy and love. What an absolute HONOR it is to serve in God’s House (and I mean that metaphorically as well as physically). You go girl!

p.s. You are probably a tremendous blessing to that church. Way beyond what you can imagine. Diversity brings such strength, openness (to God and to God’s people) and vitality to a church. 1 + 1 = 3 in so many ways.

Thanks.... maybe another way to explain it is an overwhelming feeling of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. I recall getting chills...Awsome for sure. To be a part of what God is doing, there is nothing in comparison. This gay friend of mine, she sings on the praise and worship team.. last Sunday she sang for special music. It was the first time I'd ever heard her sing. I told her, I didn't know you had a voice like that inside of you girl, no one else there had either...just gave me the chills listening to her. It was at that point it just hit me, wow hey, God does use gay people.. I say this because my mother doesn't believe that I can be Christian and lesbian... does this not prove other wise.. The pastor told this friend of mine that she could solo anytime. In fact he insisted.

1Co 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, that he may put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world, that he may put to shame the strong things;

Bren!

Thank you for these posts. I've been struggling with my place in my church. I attending a non-affirming Baptist church and for the last couple of years I have just remained in the background, quiet and alone.

This year I have begun to explore my place and have talked openly about being gay-affirming. I have not gone all the way to telling them I'm gay. Although I look 'normal' to them...I'm definitely femme and am too chicken to get a tattoo anywhere on my body ...they still often don't know how to take me.

Your words today have spoken to my heart and I have lots to begin praying for! Thanks for sharing.

Carol

To be quite honest with you, I've not come out in the Church as being gay. My pastor knows I am gay and celibate at the time, however that is because I am still waiting for that special (Christian)woman to come into my life.

If someone were to ask me if I was gay I wouldn't hesitate to tell them.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by New Song:

This year I have begun to explore my place and have talked openly about being gay-affirming. I have not gone all the way to telling them I'm gay.

My work is in the younger disabled not aids work for gay and lesbains who is deal
with a love anyone mostly gay people
who have to live outdide both church disabled
and gay worlds.

God call me to work in the area.