Hi, friends!



My name is Elijah Walker, and I am the pastor of Solomon’s Porch, a new faith community coming to Jonesboro, Arkansas in 2019.



I grew up here in Northeast Arkansas. About ten years ago, when I was still a teenager, I felt a very clear calling to start a church. At the time, I was exploring my gender identity and sexuality, and I was craving a faith community where I could be honest about that journey. I knew that God was inviting me to start a church that is fully inclusive of LGBTQ people, that celebrates diverse perspectives, and that makes room for tough questions.



Ten years later, that calling hasn’t gone away—if anything, it is stronger and clearer than ever.



Jonesboro, Arkansas is known as the city of churches because we have more evangelical churches per capita than anywhere else in the country. So you might be wondering why we’re starting Solomon’s Porch here, and that is a fair question. The reality is, there just aren’t enough opportunities for progressive people of faith to worship together. There aren’t enough safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people to be celebrated as they are. We want to keep Christ at the center of who we are, and we want to pay attention to God’s desire for justice for the oppressed and marginalized. We want to resemble God’s kingdom on earth.



Our plan is to begin having weekly services starting on Easter Sunday in 2019. We plan to keep our expenses minimal, but we need your help. In order to rent an accessible space, purchase a sound system and other gear, and to get the word out to as many people as possible, we are hoping to raise $9,000 by March. I am excited to be doing this work here in my hometown, and I know that a lot of you are excited to get involved too. I’d love it if you could donate—every dollar counts and adds up quickly! And please share this with your friends and family.

If you're interested in making a tax deductible donation directly to the church (with lower processing fees), our website is https://solomonsporch.online.

Peace,

Elijah Walker

pastor/church planter