Pioneers in LGBT Faith: Mary V. Borhek

From the LGBT Religious Archive Network:

Mary V. Borhek was a member of the New Testament Church, an independent charismatic congregation in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, when she discovered that her son Steve Lenius was gay. This was in 1975. In accordance with the beliefs of her congregation, she felt strongly that homosexuality was a sin. Over the next three years, Mary learned much more about homosexuality, and her beliefs changed.

At the time of learning about her son's homosexuality she tape recorded what was happening, believing that she would eventually write a book out how one gay man--her son--had been prayed straight. She began the book, but as time went on and her beliefs changed, it became a book about how she had learned to accept her gay son without wanting to change him. The book was published in 1979 by The Pilgrim Press as My Son Eric. Because Mary did not know how the book would be received, she changed everybody's name except her own--which is her birth name--to give her family privacy and protection. Over time, Steve (Eric) has come out unequivocally, and has acknowledged that he is Eric. My Son Eric has recently been reprinted in a revised and expanded edition, bringing Mary and Steve's story up to the 21st century.

In 1983 The Pilgrim Press published Mary's second book, Coming Out to Parents: A Two-way Survival Guide for Lesbians and Gay Men and Their Parents. This was updated in 1993 with various revisions and an added chapter for gay men, lesbians and their families dealing with AIDS.

Click here to read more about Mary V. Borhek.

Pioneers In GLBT Faith: Vanessa Sheridan

From the LGBT Religious Archive Network:

Vanessa Sheridan is a pioneering author in the field of transgender Christian theology. Since 1991 she has been speaking, writing, researching, consulting, and providing training on transgender issues for various audiences and organizations.

Vanessa is the author of Crossing Over: Liberating The Transgendered Christian, which was the first book on the topic of transgender Christian spirituality ever to be released by a mainstream publishing house (The Pilgrim Press). In 2002, that book became a double finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. She and noted lesbian/transgender author Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Ph.D., collaborated on Transgender Journeys, another groundbreaking book on transgender Christian spirituality that became a Lambda Literary Award finalist in 2004.

In 2001 Vanessa participated in a historic transgender gathering at the United Church of Christ’s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. The group engaged in frank, open dialogue with church leadership, laying the groundwork for the denomination’s current stance of inclusion and welcome for transpersons.

Vanessa is a frequent guest lecturer/speaker for churches and a variety of religious organizations. Among other groups, she has presented before the Center for Sexuality and Religion, the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, United Theological Seminary classes, and the Reconciling Ministries Network.

Click here to read more about Vanessa Sheridan.

Pioneers In GLBT Faith: Fred H. Ellis

From the LGBT Religious Archive Network:

Fred Ellis, a member of Integrity (Episcopal) since 1991, was born in 1952 in Lufkin, Texas. He grew up as an active member of the Methodist Church, attended college at the University of Texas at Austin, and following school began a career in the hospitality industry. In 1983, Fred was confirmed in the Episcopal Church at Christ Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Fred’s activism began shortly after that when the Rector at Christ Church asked him to speak with a couple whose daughter had just come out to them. For the next nine years that activism was focused at the local parish level in various locations. In 1991, Fred and five other people decided to form an Integrity Chapter in Nashville, Tennessee. It became Integrity of Middle Tennessee. In 1993, Fred was appointed by Bruce Garner, President of Integrity to serve as the Director of Development for the national organization, and, in 1994, was elected National President serving two terms through 1998.

During his term as President, Fred served a three-year term on the National Committee of the Episcopal Church for Continuing the Dialogue on Human Sexuality. He also began the process of bringing various LGBT groups within the Episcopal Church together, and to focus them on working together. This began with meetings with Oasis of Newark and participating in the organizational meeting of Oasis of California. During this same time, the National Board of Integrity worked closely with Lutherans Concerned, and the final National Convention of Integrity during Fred’s term was a joint meeting with Integrity and Lutherans Concerned. At that convention Fred was presented the Louie Crew Award for distinguished Gay and Lesbian ministry in the Episcopal Church. One of the highlights of Fred’s term as President of Integrity was to be one of the speakers at the farewell event for the then Presiding Bishop, The Most Reverend Edmund Browning, at the 1997 General Convention in Philadelphia. Another highlight was to be able to participate in the first, and organizational meeting, of the LGBT Religious Leaders Roundtable in Washington, D.C. in July 1998.

Click here to read more about Fred H. Ellis.

Pioneers in GLBT Faith; Michael Kelly

From the LGBT Religious Archives Network:

Michael Bernard Kelly is known internationally for his work in integrating Christian spirituality and gay experience. Born in Australia in 1954 into a devout Catholic family, he joined the Franciscans after finishing high school, and his spirituality has continued to be nourished by the spirit, vision and example of Francis of Assisi, though outside formal religious structures. Michael is an educator, writer, activist, and retreat leader who has worked in the U.S. the U.K. and Australia. He holds professional qualifications in theology, spirituality, creative media and education, and is currently working on a doctorate in the field of Christian mysticism and gay experience.

For 17 years Michael was a religious education specialist and campus minister in Catholic schools and universities, in both Australia and the U.S. In 1993, he came out publicly and let go of his career in the church. Since then he has committed himself to developing new forms of creative ministry with gay and lesbian people. In 1995, Joseph Kramer of Erospirit Institute published Michael's eight-hour video lecture series, "The Erotic Contemplative: the spiritual journey of the gay Christian," which John J. McNeill hailed as "The most powerful and insightful study of gay spirituality that I know of." Michael has created communities of ritual and challenge on the fringes of the church and has offered spiritual direction to gay men from many Christian communities. In 1998, he co-founded the Rainbow Sash Movement in Australia, which publicly challenges the Catholic Church's treatment of gay and lesbian people. In this role, he became a prominent media spokesperson for gay Catholics in Australia, and he is frequently sought after for commentary on current religious issues.

Click here to read more about Michael Day.

Pioneers in GLBT Faith: Rev. Howard Warren

From the LGBT Religious Archives Network:

The Rev. Howard B. Warren, Jr., affectionately known as "God's Glorious Gadfly," was born September 7, 1934, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a graduate of McCormick Theological Seminary; and he held degrees from Missouri Valley College and Union Theological Seminary (New York). He also held a masters degree from the School of Social Work at Hunter College. Ordained by the Presbytery of Kansas City in 1965, Warren served Presbyterian churches for 25 years. His pastorates were in Milford, Penn.; Vernon, Fayetteville and Huntington, New York; Pontiac, Michigan; and Orchard Park, Indiana.

In 1987, Howard came out to the Presbytery of Detroit as a person with AIDS and a gay man. Active in Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (now More Light Presbyterians), he was a founder of Presbyterians Act Up, was active with the Presbyterian AIDS Network and was a founding supporter of That All May Freely Serve.

From the time of his diagnosis with HIV/AIDS in 1987, until he required hospital and nursing home care in 2001, he was an advocate and caregiver for persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, friends and partners. He served as the director of pastoral care at the Damien Center in Indianapolis from 1989 to 1999, a care site for HIV/AIDS patients that was established by the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Click here to read the rest of Rev. Warren's story.

Pioneers in GLBT Faith: Rev. Ann B. Day

From the LGBT Religious Arcihves Network.

Baptized in the United Methodist Church, influenced by the Church of the Brethren, and raised in the Southern Presbyterian Church, it is little wonder that the Rev. Ann B. Day found a spiritual home in the ecumenically-committed United Church of Christ (UCC). Equally drawn by its Christ-centered life and commitment to social justice, she was ordained in the UCC after completing her Master of Divinity degree at Vanderbilt Divinity School in 1978. While in seminary, she served as the first coordinator of the Women’s Office at the Divinity School.

After seminary, Ann served as associate pastor at First Congregational Church UCC in Holden, Massachusetts, until 1981. In the years following, she discovered and became increasingly involved with the United Church Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns (now the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns). In 1987, she became coordinator for its new Open and Affirming (ONA) program, which assists UCC settings in becoming and being ONA (publicly welcoming to LGBT persons). The program maintains the listings of ONA settings in the UCC and, in cooperation with national UCC staff and others, provides the primary leadership and resources for assisting settings in an ongoing process of ONA study and witness. Ann’s ministry includes writing, preaching, resource development, pastoral support, and offering educational programs. Her partner, Donna Enberg, is the ONA Administrative Assistant, doing invaluable work to keep the database and finances of the program in order and seeing that resources are sent on their way promptly. As staff for the ONA program, Ann and Donna are also actively involved in the ecumenical “Welcoming Church Movement.”

Click here to read more about Rev. Day.

Pioneers in GLBT Faith: Rev. Robert W. Wood

From the LGBT Religious Arcihves Network:

Wood was ordained in the Congregational Christian denomination on June 17, 1951 in Fair Haven, Vermont. He served on the staff of Broadway Tabernacle in New York City for two years and then as pastor in Spring Valley, New York, for 11 years; in an inner-city congregation in Newark, New Jersey, for 13 years; and finally in Maynard, Mass. for eight years. During this time, he served six years on the United Church of Christ's Board for Homeland Ministries and another six years on the Board for World Ministries.

Robert engaged Christian attitudes toward homosexuality throughout his ministry. In 1956 he wrote an article entitled "Spiritual Exercises" for a gay physique magazine Grecian Guild, in which his photo in a clerical collar appeared. After meeting Donald Webster Cory, author of the ground-breaking 1951 book The Homosexual in America, Robert started writing a book on Christianity and homosexuality. Christ and the Homosexual was published in 1960 by Vantage Press. Wood's photo appeared on the dust jacket and his congregation was identified in the book. All 5,000 printed copies were sold. A review in ONE magazine said: "Sparkling, intimate, compassionate and well-informed--this book is among other things probably the best and most readable description of gay life currently in print...This is the first book written by a responsible clergyman to welcome homosexuals into the Church without demanding that they give up the practice of homosexuality." Wood was honored with Awards of Merit from the Mattachine Society and The Prosperos that year. In August, 1962, Wood was a featured speaker at the Ninth Annual Conference of the Mattachine Society. He was the only clergy among 18 gay men and 7 lesbians who picketed in front of the Civil Service Building in Washington, D.C. on June 25, 1965, in a protest organized by Frank Kameny.

Click here to read the rest of the profile for Rev. Wood.

Pioneers in LGBT Faith: Rev. Paul Abels

Another new feature we're adding here is a look back at some of the ground-breaking pioneers in GLBT Christian faith, linking to the LGBT Religious Archives Network.

Rev. Paul Abels:

The Rev. Paul Abels (1937-1992) was the first openly gay minister with a congregation in a major Christian denomination in America (from New York Times obituary on 3/14/92). Paul was the pastor of the Washington Square United Methodist Church in New York City from 1973 to 1984. This congregation in Greenwich Village was locally known as the Peace Church for its opposition to the Vietnam War and for its large gay and lesbian membership.

In 1973 Paul was appointed pastor of Washington Square United Methodist Church. While at Washington Square, he initiated a $1.5 million restoration campaign, planned the church's 125th anniversary, and worked with the many community groups housed in the building, including the Harvey Milk School, a parent-run day care center, and many lesbian/gay support and social groups.

On Sunday, November 27, 1977, Abels was featured in a New York Times article entitled "Minister Sponsors Homosexual Rituals." The article told about four "covenant services" that Paul had performed in recent months. And in the article Paul identifies himself as a "homosexual."

Controversy arose throughout the denomination with many critics calling for his removal. Bishop Ralph Ward asked Paul to take a leave of absence. Paul refused and his appointment was upheld by vote of the New York Annual Conference. The bishop then appealed to the Judicial Council, highest court in United Methodism, which ruled in 1979 that Abels was in "good standing" and in "effective relation" and could remain as pastor at Washington Square.

Paul took early retirement from the pastorate in June, 1984, following the vote of the 1984 General Conference of the United Methodist Church to bar the ordination and appointment of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals."

Click here to read more about Rev. Paul Abels.