Do you know Bob Berry? He's a new member of our church and a wonderful deacon. He also co-chaired the Human Rights Campaign Gala last Saturday, which I attended for the second year in a row. HRC is a powerful, volunteer-driven organization that advocates for LGBT equality in the worlds of politics, business and religion. Bob is a great leader and a shining star in that movement, and I was glad to see several of our church members there in support.
One award was given to the fabulous Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, who is a UCC minister and professor at Chicago Theological Seminary. Another award for visibility went to Luke Macfarlane, an openly gay actor who stars in a TV series called "Brothers and Sisters." Luke told a story that I found to be very moving.
Luke has known he was gay since his early teens. He grew up in Canada (worshiping in the United Church of Canada), then moved to NYC for his acting career. In his mid-20s, Luke moved to LA. At a cocktail party, a casting agent greeted him and welcomed him to Hollywood, then said, "Luke, I heard a rumor that you're gay." In that moment, as a newcomer in an unfamiliar place, Luke suddenly lost his nerve. Not sure how he would be received by a potential employer, he denied his true self. "No, I'm not gay," he told the agent. And she promptly asked him out on a date.
Luke confessed to all 650 of us at the banquet that he was ashamed by his failure of nerve. Though he had come out of the closet years before, here he was, going right back into hiding. He said, "Being out is a decision we have to make again and again, every day."
The following Sunday morning, many of us gathered in the Chapel at First United for Rob's class on sharing your faith. And it occurred to me that coming out about our Christian faith is almost as difficult as coming out about our sexual orientation. You are forced to reveal something that is very personal, before you know how the person you're talking with is going to react. All of us fear judgment and rejection. All of us are afraid of getting a negative reaction.
The only way to feel safe in coming out about who we are and what we believe is to know that we are surrounded by a supportive community. I'm proud that First United is committed to being open and affirming for GLBT believers. Let's also be open and affirming about sharing our faith in Jesus Christ, in ways that are authentic and inviting. It's time for us progressive Christians to come out of the closet.
No comments:
Post a Comment