March Virtual Pulpit Supply from queer trans man who knows the struggle of finding an affirming church
As a self-identified queer transman, Elijah says he knows the struggle of finding an accepting and affirming church home. “I bounced between churches for years, all of which stated they were ‘open and affirming,’ but fell short of affirming me as I am. When I found the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and subsequently AllianceQ, I knew I had a found a place that was open, accepting and working to affirm me as a child of God.”
Elijah was elected for the AllianceQ Council in October 2020 and serves as Treasurer. Eli is a seminary student at Phillips Theological Seminary, and he works as a Bookkeeper and Office Manager for an Episcopal Church. Eli and his wife Jessica are raising two kids, Lu who is non-binary and Alexis. Eli and Jess are also foster parents. Eli and his family are members at First Christian Church of Lansing where he is a Deacon, sings in the choir and is a member of the General Board.
Preaching on Isaiah 50:4-9a and Psalm 31:9-16, Eli’s scripture reading, sermon and sending forth will be available for download on March 22. Virtual Pulpit Supply materials are available every month and they correlate with the fourth Sunday’s Revised Common Lectionary texts. While drawing from the lectionary texts, you are welcome and encouraged to download VPS materials at any time of the month. Materials are relevant for worship, Bible study, small groups and workshopping.
How does it work?
Fill out this VPS request form. By 5 p.m. ET on the Monday before the assigned date, you will receive an email with a link to download a video containing the scripture reading, sermon, and sending forth. You can also request materials from previous months. Those downloads will be sent immediately.
How much does it cost?
There is no cost to download the VPS materials. However, to sustain this ministry, we ask that you consider making a donation to AllianceQ. You can support the Virtual Pulpit Supply project and donate here.
You may also mail a check to: Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance, P.O. Box 44400, Indianapolis, IN 46244 with the memo “VPS.”
Who are the preachers?
Each month will feature an LGBTQ+ Disciples minister or seminarian. Preachers are active members of AllianceQ and/or Disciples Justice Ministries. Identifying as queer or an ally, each preacher brings a unique perspective for engaging and responding to the scripture. Bios will highlight the preacher’s background and context.
Even more
Rev. Erin Wathen with Week of Compassion preached in February. Rev. Luther Young, Moderator with the AllianceQ Council, preached in January. Request those downloads and get even more detail here: https://disciplesallianceq.org/virtual-pulpit-supply/
