1st LGBTQ-Led Black Church Debuts

by Paul Bass | Mar 21, 2016 7:32 am

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Posted to: Black History, LGBTQ, Religion, Kimberly Square, News From The Pews

In the front row of an historic church service, Kim Davis sang a hymn entitled “Holy, Holy, Holy,” not as an outcast, but as a deacon. No one was an outcast at the service, which launched New Haven’s first African-American gay-and-lesbian-oriented congregation. That was the point. It was a miracle the roof remained in place at Betsy Ross School’s century-old restored former St. Peter’s parish hall, one of New Haven’s magical spaces, by the time Davis and more than 100 others finished singing, shouting praise, and dancing in the aisles Sunday. A megawatt burst of joy and liberation filled the Kimberly Avenue hall for two and a half hours as Davis and other members of Restoration Church of Connecticut (RCC) held their inaugural worship service on Palm Sunday. A Peter Pan busload of parishioners from New York City’s six-year-old LGBTQ-friendly Restoration Church came to New Haven to join a dozen or so local deacons in launching the sister “progressive Presbyterian” congregation. Presiding over the event was both congregations’ founder and senior pastor, Overseer Yvonne M. Harrison, who came to the event accompanied by First Lady Tiffany A. Harrison. Overseer Harrison delivered a full-throated sermon on “enlarging the tent.” Quoting Isaiah 54:2 — “enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations” — Harrison appealed to congregants to stretch the boundaries of their lives. And she spoke of the necessity of the church itself to stretch its own boundaries, to broaden its tent. Which is the point behind RCC’s founding: to widen the tent to gays and lesbians who have felt unaccepted because of their sexuality. Historically, church-loving African-Americans like Kim Jenkins haven’t felt that the church has loved them back because they’re gay. Jenkins, who grew up in the Brookside public-housing development in New Haven’s West Rock neighborhood, loved attending her family’s Baptist church. But as she grew older she found its anti-gay message difficult to endure. She certainly didn’t feel comfortable being identified as a lesbian. “You attend the church because it’s all you have,” said Jenkins, who is 52 years old and repairs trains for Metro-North railroad. “Then you feel uncomfortable.”



By the time she reached her 30s, she stopped going. She missed it. Especially the music. “You lose your connection to God,” she said. “You feel you don’t belong. They don’t want you there.” From 2001 to 2008, Jenkins lived in Atlanta. There she found an “inclusive” black church that welcomed gays and lesbians. She loved it. After she moved back to New Haven, she missed that church. She met Betty Lorde, who attended an inclusive church in Bridgeport. Lorde, too, had discovered her first inclusive church when she moved to the Bible Belt, in Winston-Salem, N.C., and started looking for a similar home when she returned north. The Bridgeport church no longer exists. So Lorde and Jenkins (each of whom has had a romantic partner for the past year) worked on Overseer Harrison from New York’s RCC to help them start a New Haven branch. Harrison visited a year ago to preach a service for gays and lesbians at Agape Christian Center on Goffe Street. It took a while, she said, but eventually she heeded the call to make the relationship permanent and launch RCC this Sunday. Harrison had the reverse experience of Lorde’s and Jenkins’s: She came out as a lesbian after receiving her ordination in Texas and found “they didn’t accept me there,” she said. She found her inclusive church back north. That was 17 years ago. “The world is changing” fast since then, she said. Ten years ago she knew of fewer than 20 “inclusive” African-American churches in the country. Since then the phenomenon has exploded, with “over 100,” maybe 200 in operation, Harrison said. Including one, now, in New Haven. Asked why they showed up Sunday, worshipers gave variations of the same answer: “I get to be who I am.” RCC plans to hold worship services at Elm City Phoenix Club, 56 Wallace St., every second, third, and fourth Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. (For more information, call 404-268-1387 or 203-953-4443.) One suggestion, based on Sunday’s service: Bring your best singing voice. An open spirit. And plenty of hugs.

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posted by: therevalexdyer Congratulations to Restoration Church of Connecticut. I do think the headline is a misleading. I have been a pastor of two New Haven churches and I know there are plenty of predominantly black churches that are LGBT friendly. My own denomination, The Episcopal Church, has a long history of welcoming LGBT people. I can think of at least one Episcopal church in New Haven that is predominantly African-American and welcomes LGBT people. This is not to take anything away from RCC and all the wonderful work they are doing. I think it is a wonderful addition to the family of churches here in New Haven. I just want to make it clear that, in my experience, there are many churches here in New Haven that welcome LGBT people with open arms, and have for many years now. Some of these churches are predominately black and other churches are more diverse in their membership. I wish nothing but the best for RCC and their ministry here in the city of New Haven. [Paul: Thanks for the comment! I struggled to find the right headline word to signal that this is a church oriented toward and led by gays and lesbians. I fear “friendly” might not have been the optimal way to express that. For now I’ve changed the word to “led” in the headline. Still doesn’t tell the whole story—but let’s see what folks think!]

posted by: Angele on March 21, 2016 1:57pm Hi Paul

Thank you so much for your wonderful article on RCC and RTM I pray you had a joyous time with us and I pray that you will come back and have service with us again. Just one small mistake. You said Usher Marcia Smith handed out palms. It was Deacon Angele Wilkerson.Marcia Smith is also one of the Deacons from RTM in new York city. Hoping to see you soon again until we meet again may continue to bless you and your family.

Deacon Angele Wilkerson [Paul: Thank you! Error fixed.]

posted by: Brian L. Jenkins on March 21, 2016 2:02pm @ therevalexdyer, In reading your comments, it appear as though one can surmise words analogous to mea culpa. Case in point, this comment of yours “I can think of at least one Episcopal church in New Haven that is predominantly African-American and welcomes LGBT people.” Really, one? Who? You my friend can’t even name such a church for fear of reprisals. Moreover, had you read the thrust emanating as to the reasons why they felt compelled to start their own church, then perhaps you would’ve refrained from making such an asinine statement. The black church (of which you’re a part of) has to come to grips with itself, on a plethora of issues. As I travel through the city in particularly black neighborhoods, one can easily find a black church on almost every street corner. And yet, crime has consumed the neighborhoods. In essence, where’s the investment in these neighborhoods, from these congregations? Other than Varick AME on Dixwell Ave. and that of Beulah Heights on Orchard St. who else is making an investment in the community? That said, it begs the proverbial question, why is there so much poverty in the city? My response to such a salient question is this, our poverty is in our ignorance that keeps us divided from one another. Many of these pastors have turned into judges, instead of shepherds. Jesus said “let the wheat and the tares grow together and He’ll do the separating.” Mat:24-30. These pastors no problem accepting the ties and offerings from the members of the LGBT community, but that’s where it begins and end. If these individuals are so reprehensible conveyed from some of these pulpits, then why don’t you return their ties and offerings back to them? What I witnessed yesterday as a Seventh-Day Adventist and supporter of my sister’s lifestyle, was just breathtaking, awe-inspiring, awesome and just plain warm to say the least. It’s hard to find one of those adjectives in some of our conventional churches… Continued…

posted by: Rev.R.Stackhouse on March 21, 2016 2:23pm Church of the Redeemer UCC happily welcomes Restoration Church to New Haven! While we also rejoice in having LGBTQ folk as members and leaders here in our multiracial congregation, we understand why this congregation has come into being. Bless you as you serve God together and we look forward to partnering with you in service to New Haven!

posted by: Brian L. Jenkins on March 21, 2016 2:58pm Continued… My intent is never to cast aspersions on all churches or pastors for that matter. However, I do part ways with those who enjoy putting others down while hiding behind the veil of Jesus Christ. The Bible also talks about infidelity and premarital sex, but you would seldom ever hear any pastor talk about that. Because if they did, their church would be empty. In fact, some of these same pastors are drowning in so much sin themselves, that it’s more cathartic for them to talk about the sins of others. I opine in this fashion because I love my sister so much, that as her big brother and close friend, it is my duty to always defend her honor and choice (s) to be with whom ever she chooses to spend the rest of her life with. If she were to call me and invite me to attend a wedding with her and a tree, I would attend. Many young people who too are gay, to no fault of their own, find themselves mired in ostracism, bullying tactics and some are even met with death because of who they are. The gay community is no different from any other community who wishes to seek love and respect for who they are as individuals and not for who they choose to be with intimately. I thank God everyday that He has given me this innate ability to love people for who they are and not for the color of their skin or for who they choose to sleep with. Just to further that point, God did not make me so great that I would wake up everyday feeling superior over others. Only a fool would feel that way. I relish in the idea of seeing people happy and having fun, and boy did these people have fun yesterday.

posted by: Brutus2011 on March 21, 2016 3:21pm I support the integration of all folks into church life, if they so choose. I know some may not agree but the Jesus I know did not exclude the humble and the mis-perceived. How can anyone deny another hope?

posted by: therevalexdyer @Brian I am sorry if I offended you in some way. I think the new headline Paul put up may be more accurate. As a openly gay priest who has been married to my husband for years, I am aware of some of the struggles LGBTQ people deal with when coming to churches. I began my ministry working with LGBT kids in NYC, most of whom were kicked out of their homes because they were gay. I am no longer a pastor in New Haven, but I served there for many years. When I was a pastor at St. Paul & St. James, many of my parishioners identified as gay or lesbian and some were African-American. The church was pretty diverse in many ways. I also would feel perfectly comfortable attending St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church with my husband and my daughter. There are other churches I would also attend in the New Haven area, which I would identify as gay-friendly. I agree that all churches need to refocus their efforts to helping those on the margins, whether that be to poverty or some other factor. Many are starting to realize this and change the way they do things, and there is still a long way to go for all churches. Again, I am excited for this new venture and think they will enrich the faith community here in New Haven. I wasn’t trying to stir the pot or cause trouble. Again, I am sorry if I offended you in any way. I was just speaking from my experience, which is slightly different and may be very different from other people’s experiences.

posted by: Brian L. Jenkins on March 21, 2016 6:53pm @ therevalexdyer, I didn’t construe your words as “causing trouble.” That’s for the gay community to decide. However, had you introduced yourself as being gay from the outset, a lot of what I said could’ve been truncated. Interestingly, I notice you’re transitory in your church membership. Is that a matter of preference? Or is it a part of the aforementioned topic for which we’re entertaining? At the risk of being redundant, again, my comments were not to offend but to buttress the importance of recognizing people who were also made in the image of God. This community comprises itself with lawyers, doctors, engineers, mothers, fathers and pastors that have come out, and of pastors that are staying in. Finally, It is unimaginable the pain that families grapple with upon discovering that their child or sibling is gay. That said, I believe it’s inconsiderate for gay individuals to become upset with their family members should they oppose this revelation. Thus, the importance of education, understanding, prayer and above all, love. I chose to immediately accept my sister’s decision, because it’s hers. And the idea of losing her because she chooses to be with a woman for me is absurd. There are two outstanding concerns I have regarding my sisters life. One, is she happy? And two, is she safe? If one or both of these areas are disrupted, then my life too, is disrupted. If struggling family members can adopt this level of comportment when addressing their opposition to their gay love one’s omission and choice, then perhaps positive inroads can be realized.

posted by: CKJchildofGOD on March 22, 2016 2:35pm @therevalexdyer

I think I can clear up somethings… all though there are churches that say “We are LGBTQ friendly” they ARE NOT! It is one thing to open the door and allow us entry, it is another to allow us to sit on trustee boards, be founding members, minister, participate at full capacity. My parents taught us charity starts within, I’ve been to several churches where as long as they received my check….. shhhhh leave her alone, I’m building the food pantry by writing grants and hounding the community for donations…..shhhhhh leave her be (she’s making the church look good to the community), when I walk in with my partner and SHE doesn’t dress in stilettoes, or wear a dress and still has a strong relationship with GOD….OH NO SHE GOT TO GO! Yes I am truly grateful to Pastor Yvonne Harrison, Elder Betty Lorde and Deacon Kim Jenkins for giving women such as myself…OPENLY GAY a palace where we can worship, give GOD his glory, give back to our community in a judgement free zone with others who are tired of moving from church to church because we are not willing to loose who we are to make who they are happy. @Brian

I love you BJ for being the brother you are to Kim and her friends. Some of us are so elated because she is finally embracing her ministry. I will support MY PASTOR, ELDER, DEACON and RCC. We almost took the roof off Brams Hall yesterday 3/20/16, the anointing was there, our tent is ready and the territory is growing. Restoration Church of Connecticut has foundation, character and a LOT OF LOVE!

posted by: PastorBonnie on March 24, 2016 5:28pm THe United Church on the Green joins me in welcoming this new church!