Our meeting on August 13th will feature St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Lenexa, Kansas. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church welcomes and affirms the LGBT Community. Nancy Carson, Cathy Matlack and Cindy Kneely from St. Paul’s will share their stories as well.
St. Paul’s is a United Methodist Church in Lenexa, KS. Their faith community began its journey to become a welcoming congregation in the mid-90’s. For 15 years, they held workshops, sponsored studies and Sunday School classes to discuss and practice what it means to be an open and affirming congregation. In 1999 they wrote a welcoming statement that remains a solid commitment for their congregation today. In 2012, with the support of their Pastors, Administrative Board and Council on Ministries, they took the step to officially become a “Reconciling Congregation”, the terminology the United Methodist Church recognizes for a welcoming congregation.
As a world-wide denomination, the United Methodist Church continues to struggle with decisions to change their book of discipline which uses non-confirming language. St. Paul’s UMC has made the choice to welcome and affirm the gay community. If change can’t happen at the top, perhaps St. Paul’s can be part of a grass-roots effort for change, at least with our own faith community.
I have heard these ladies and I know many in the LGBT family will benefit from this meeting! See you Sunday at 3:00!
