Our pledge presentations continue this week as we hear from Steve A. about his experience with St. John's and why he pledges.
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Good Morning, Family.
Our journey with the
Episcopal Church started 5 years ago in a rural town in Southeastern
Indiana. We were invited by a friend to
attend a presentation hosted by PFlag on the LGBT community and religion. I shared my story of being told by a church
when I was 13 years old to wear a rubber band around my wrist and that every
time I thought about someone of the same gender I should pull the rubber band
away from my wrist as far as I could and let it snap back to help break me of
this habit. I told other stories of
rejection I experienced in the church growing up as well and that I had not
attended a church for over 25 years due to this rejection.
The lady sitting in front
of us was the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Madison, IN, and she turned
around with tears in her eyes, handed us a business card and said, “You are
welcome at our church." This was said
with such love and acceptance and genuineness that we went to church there that
Sunday. We were confirmed a year later
with a group of people that included a lesbian couple and a transgendered woman
who cried when the Bishop laid hands on her head. This was rural Southeast Indiana. The healing we experienced by being welcomed
into a faith community was transformative beyond words. Being in a church as
myself was something I had never experienced before and missed it more than I
knew.
When we left Madison
and moved to Hagerstown, we were sure we could never have that experience
again. Kyle coined a term for this fear
called, “Parish relocation anxiety” and we talked on the phone with our rector
as she encouraged us to try the local Episcopal church. Three years ago we walked though those doors and, almost as soon as our back sides hit the pew, Sara Ann and Will appeared
out of nowhere and the welcomed us with love.
They took us all over town to show us the best restaurants, Krumpe’s
Donuts, and made sure we knew where to go to get what we needed. They welcomed us to this church and to the
community. In an instant, the love we
felt in Indiana was multiplied ten-fold.
What a God we have! This was
truly a place of love and kindness. The
liturgy here continues to bring me to tears at times. The choirs and this magnificent organ are
beyond beautiful and choke me up every Sunday.
We love this place. As I look out
today, I see some of the best friends we ever had. I can’t tell you what that means to us.
But that welcome, love,
healing, and grace shown to us these past five years was just the beginning for
me. I found quickly that what I
received, beyond measure, only multiplies exponentially as it is given
away. So, quickly, my work as a
psychologist had new meaning and almost limitless joy. Working on the search committee and watching
God bring Father Todd, Joelene, and Cece to be part of this grand cause was a
breath-taking and joyous experience for me.
Giving time, treasure, and talent with you, together, as a family,
through love, has been the most beautiful experience of my life.
Someone reached out and
connected with me, with love, and that love and grace changes lives.
While we all are
different and arrived here today from different places and experiences and
backgrounds, we move forward together as a family by reaching out to others and
working together to share this most beautiful of gifts with all.
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Thank you, Steve, for your words this past Sunday to all who were present, and thank you for allowing us to publish them to a wider audience.
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