Gay Churches - How to find an inclusive Church

Oh, and to make this article easier to read, I will stick from now on to the abbreviation LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning). If I try to be too political correct and gender / orientation inclusive and spell it out every time, this article will become too long and too difficult to read, ok?

Back to the buzzwords:

Inclusive - Is a word that Churches use to describe themselves to signalize that they don't treat people differently based on gender, sexual orientation, race, color etc.

Welcoming - That can be a bit of a ambiquitous term, sometimes it means the same like 'inclusive', sometimes it means, 'yes, we welcome you, but we also will aim to change you if you are not like us'.

Affirming - That one is a step more than just inclusive, it means the Church in question aims to affirm and support LGBTQ people exactly as they are, encouraging them to live as they are and not to pretend to be somebody else.

If there is no MCC congregation nearby where you live and / or if you would prefer to worship with a more varied, not only 'rainbow-colored' community ;-), you will have to do some research first.

Gaychurch.org is an online directory of LGBT friendly churches and perhaps the best place to start your search. As it relies on user submitted content and recommendations, it might be worth to check things a bit more thoroughly before turning up at one of the Churches in your best Sunday dress, hand in hand with your same-sex-partner ;-) Things can change over time, for the better or the worse ...

This website lists not only 'typical gay' Churches, but also those that are simply welcoming and inclusive to everybody that comes through the door. Each entry has a link to that Church's website plus a short statement about its denominational affiliation.

Rainbow banners or other 'we are an inclusive Church' banners, like the Integrity banner above, are an obvious give-away, but sometimes the hints might be more subtle ;-) When things don't seem to be clear, the best thing is to drop the minister in charge an email or message via the Church's website asking straight forward about how they feel about welcoming you in their community and if they see themselves as welcoming and affirming / inclusive or merely as welcoming. You might even spark a discussion that leads to some positive change ;-)