Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been married for over 30 years. My wife and I have children a serve as a pastor at my church but I have these feelings that remain with me. I suppress him and push him down. They always rise up when I’m alone. Just wanted to know is there anybody out there that knows my struggle?

Yes. Every adult person knows your struggle. Regardless of who you think you're attracted to, you can't just go sticking your pen!s wherever you want. Just a fact of life. What makes you think you're special?

That's why self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Without it you and I are animals.

Seems like you're not trying to help pp. More trying to tell them how bad they are.

To the pastor who struggles sexually. There are many like you. Thank you for reaching out for help, even anonymously. You were very vague about your problem - maybe intentionally. Maybe this is your first time seeking assistance. Please know that there are qualified counselors out there - not related to your church - who can really help. When you're ready, please come back here, or go to a trusted source for real assistance. If you come here, be prepared for real help as well as real hindrance -- anonymous people trying to cut you down, and anonymous people who might just have that nugget of advice or information that really helps.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering about what it means if a church/parish is Catholic and designated “affirming?” Do they hold a different view on administering sacraments, specifically marriage?

In my experience they do not perform gay marriage as a sacrament but do bless gay marriages if asked. I am Catholic and think this is bare crumbs but it’s something. I have gay friends who consider themselves Catholic and this is meaningful to them, as is Pope Francis’ recent outreach to LGBTQ communities.

I believe if the Church as a whole does not move on this, it will collapse.

And yet the churches that have become gay affirming — all of the denominations listed in this thread — have steadily lost members to the point of extinction. Go to your average United Methodist Church on a Sunday morning and you will find it empty or dying. Another Episcopalian church just closed a few miles from where we live.

Meanwhile, churches that have a more orthodox view of Christianity are growing and thriving. I don’t mean orthodox just with respect to this issue. I mean churches that openly preach the Gospel. I attend a Gospel church with 5,000 people every Sunday that is not gay affirming in the sense that we do not perform gay marriages. But we absolutely don’t bash gay people either — in three years, I can only remember one sermon on the subject and it was also in the context of the ways that many straight people dishonor Biblical marriage. Our church website has two very thoughtful perspectives on whether to attend gay marriages celebrated elsewhere — I have read both and I would have no theological issue with attending a gay marriage, even if our church doesn’t perform them. I do believe there are “middle grounds” here in between having a prominent rainbow flag outside your church and making this single issue part of your identity — even more than the redeeming blood of Jesus — and being mean and cruel to gay people on the other side.

Regardless, though, it’s simply not true that if churches do not become more gay affirming, then more churches will collapse. The exact opposite has happened in the real world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been married for over 30 years. My wife and I have children a serve as a pastor at my church but I have these feelings that remain with me. I suppress him and push him down. They always rise up when I’m alone. Just wanted to know is there anybody out there that knows my struggle?

Yes. Every adult person knows your struggle. Regardless of who you think you're attracted to, you can't just go sticking your pen!s wherever you want. Just a fact of life. What makes you think you're special?

That's why self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Without it you and I are animals.

Seems like you're not trying to help pp. More trying to tell them how bad they are.

To the pastor who struggles sexually. There are many like you. Thank you for reaching out for help, even anonymously. You were very vague about your problem - maybe intentionally. Maybe this is your first time seeking assistance. Please know that there are qualified counselors out there - not related to your church - who can really help. When you're ready, please come back here, or go to a trusted source for real assistance. If you come here, be prepared for real help as well as real hindrance -- anonymous people trying to cut you down, and anonymous people who might just have that nugget of advice or information that really helps.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve been married for over 30 years. My wife and I have children a serve as a pastor at my church but I have these feelings that remain with me. I suppress him and push him down. They always rise up when I’m alone. Just wanted to know is there anybody out there that knows my struggle?

Yes. Every adult person knows your struggle. Regardless of who you think you're attracted to, you can't just go sticking your pen!s wherever you want. Just a fact of life. What makes you think you're special?

That's why self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Without it you and I are animals.

Sorry that should say I serve as a pastor and I suppress them and I push them down talking about these feelings that I have

I’ve been married for over 30 years. My wife and I have children a serve as a pastor at my church but I have these feelings that remain with me. I suppress him and push him down. They always rise up when I’m alone. Just wanted to know is there anybody out there that knows my struggle?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those looking for Catholic and don't mind going to Baltimore, St. Vincent de Paul is an amazing affirming community. They host Pride events in June and truly put their effort into helping the homeless and vulnerable populations instead of harping on pro-life issues. I have a complicated relationship with religion and particularly Catholicism, but St. V is a special place where I feel welcomed and like I belong.

It’s so annoying when churches harp on doctrine and call people to repentance. Glad you found a place where people don’t constantly remind you that killing innocent life is immoral.

Sarcasm, right?

Anonymous wrote:Christ Congregational in Silver Spring

https://www.cccsilverspring.org/

Thx. This is very helpful.

Anonymous wrote:What does affirming mean?

Open and affirming (ONA) is an official designation of congregations and other settings in the United Church of Christ (UCC) affirming the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons (LGBQ) in the church's life and ministry.

An “Open and Affirming” setting of the UCC (a local church, campus ministry, etc.) means that it has publicly declared that gay, lesbian, & bisexual (GLB) people (or those of all sexual orientations) are welcome in its full life and ministry (e.g. membership, leadership, employment, etc.). It bespeaks a spirit of hospitality and a willingness to live out that welcome in meaningful ways.

Christ Congregational in Silver Spring

https://www.cccsilverspring.org/

Christ Congregational in Silver

https://www.cccsilverspring.org/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The majority of the United Methodist Churches in the DC metropolitan region are "reconciling" churches which is the language used for churches that support all sexualities. They allow LGBTQ+ clergy, allow LGBTQ+ marriages and invite all to the table for all services including communion.

Right now, the UMC in the US are starting to splinter off. Those who believe in "traditional" doctrine will be leaving. Most of those churches will join a new entity called the Global Methodist Church. Right now approximately 6% (1800) of the roughly 30K UMC churches in the US have opted to leave in 2023. The majority of those (about 60%) are in Texas. That said, the Baltimore-Washington Conference has delayed the transition (e.g. the split) until 2024. So, those churches who want to leave UMC for GMC will not be able to do so until Spring 2024.

But you can check any UMC and see if they are traditional or reconciling. As I said, the majority of the churches in this region are reconciling.

Just so I understand, are you saying to wait until 2024 because we don’t know what’s going to happen? Thx

No. You don't have to wait. UMC churches that re accepting are listed as "reconciling" churches right now. Virtually all of the affirming churches will include that language on their web-sites and other information about their church. UMC churches that are not affirming, will call themselves "traditional" churches.

However, the separation has begun. The only point about 2024 is that in 2024, the traditional churches will most likely no longer be UMC churches, but will become GMC churches. The reconciling churches will remain UMC.

Anonymous wrote:What does affirming mean? Will they perfrom same sex marriages?

we are a gay couple and got married at our Episcopal Church.

Anonymous wrote:Try All Souls off of Connecticut in NW DC.

Unless there’s another I’m not familiar with:

All Souls is a Unitarian church off 16th Street NW.
All Saints is an Episcopal church off Connecticut Ave on Chevy Chase Circle, technically in Maryland.

Try All Souls off of Connecticut in NW DC.