Brian Ellison and Kristy Rodgers on Covenant Conversation: Oklahoma
"Just coming to the conversation might be one of the most loving things you can do for Christ's church, for Christ's people -- to just be willing to engage the conversation and see what the Holy Spirit does with it."
Kristy Rogers, 2022 Moderator of the Synod of the Sun, Presbyterian Church (USA)
A recent conversation between Kristy Rodgers and Brian Ellison, Executive Director of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, discussed the upcoming Covenant Conversation at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City on August 27th.
This episode explores into the welcome or lack thereof to LGBTQIA+ persons when they enter and become acquainted at church. In addition to emphasizing the importance of events like these, Brian spoke to the great worship, speakers, and fellowship planned for the upcoming Covenant Conversation. Speaking to the confusion that proclamations of welcome can evoke for LGBTQIA+ people, Brian said,
"We are pretty confident that fewer than half of our presbyteries in the Church have an openly 'out' LGBTQ person serving as a pastor of a church...."
In addition to the lack of representation in church leadership for LGBTQIA+ people, people marginalized for their sexuality or gender can also face confusion and uncertainty in discerning whether a Presbyterian church might truly invite their gifts into worship and ministry.
"Given that uncertainty, the lack of a mandate to affirm LGBTQ people, the experience of queer folks in the church can be very challenging and very uncertain."
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