Celebrating Trans Day of Visibility in the PC(USA)

On this Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV), we celebrate the joy and resilience of transgender and genderqueer people in our churches and our communities. TDOV, observed on March 31, is a time to affirm the presence, dignity and contributions of trans and gender nonconforming people.

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We affirm that gender nonconforming people are visible in scripture as eunuchs. Using today's terms we might consider them genderqueer, not operating within conventional gender norms. This connects with the experiences of transgender, non-binary, and intersex people and also gender non-conforming butches, twinks, drag queens, kings, and monarchs. God calls eunuchs as prophets (Nehemiah), teachers (Hegai in Esther 2:3-15), and missionaries (the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:26-40).

Today, in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), trans, non-binary, intersex, and genderqueer people serve as pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday school teachers, ushers and in all kinds of leadership roles. God does not call genderqueer people in spite of our gender identity but promises to build monuments and give us names “better than sons and daughters” beyond the binary of male and female (Isaiah 56:4-6).

In our present political moment in this country, there are efforts to reduce the visibility of trans and genderqueer people in education, sports and through bodily changes in health care. These efforts are sometimes bipartisan, like legislation in West Virginia to statements from California’s governor. It is a scary time for Trans people. These actions are part of a broader wave of anti-LGBTQ+ backlash that includes efforts to undermine gay marriage and other fundamental rights. In times such as these, visibility is not just an act of celebration; it is a witness against injustice.

TDOV falls in the Lenten season, where Christians traditionally have fasted or given something up or taken something on as a spiritual discipline. We invite Christians to consider instead of giving up chocolate to give up on concepts that fail to feed us spiritually. Let us not fast from dinner but fast from oppressive ideologies.

We call on Christians to fast from ableism, where bodies are too often expected to work or appear one way and where minds are too often expected to process information and emotions in one way when we know God has made us in so many different ways. God calls us to celebrate positive differences and accommodate disabilities. We call on Christians to fast from diet culture, where (queer) beauty is so often tied to thinness.

We call on Christians to fast from perfectionism or thinking there's any "right way" to be: none of us will be the perfect ally, be perfect with new friends’ pronouns, have a perfect body, or have a perfect life, and not because we are unworthy — we know we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) but “perfection” exists only in Christ Jesus (Hebrews 5:9).

Trans joy is nourished not by the fear and restriction of human institutions but by the abundant life that Christ offers. The psalmist proclaims, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8), an invitation to trust in the God who feeds us with love and justice. And at the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, saying, “This is my body, given for you” (Luke 22:19). Christ’s body, broken and transformed, reveals resurrection power. So too, trans bodies are joyful bodies and are part of God’s redemptive story.

And we remember now, like we do every celebration of the Lord’s Supper, that through breaking bread, Christ’s body was ripped into two. In the promise of new life that we are given, we too are promised transformation. It is through the changing of our bodies, sometimes even the tearing of it, through ripping new clothes and surgical cuts, that Trans people experience joy and can see transformation become possible.

In Acts 8:26-40, Philip meets the Ethiopian Eunuch, a court official returning from worship in Jerusalem, likely having been denied access to the temple because of their gender presentation. As the two read scripture together, the Eunuch asks, “What is to prevent me from being baptized?” Philip, seeing the Eunuch’s full humanity and worth, baptizes them immediately. The Eunuch becomes the first convert to Christianity from outside of Israel and, after their baptism, scripture tells us goes on their way rejoicing

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Hard times call for a time to cry, a time to lament (Lamentations 1:16). But scripture also tells us just as it is important to feel the feelings of sadness, in the same verse that there is also a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4-5). We should remember trans joy is resistance. Trans visibility is found in drag brunches, in reading groups, in gay bars, in laughing with chosen family, sitting anxiously at the clinic, and in worshiping together in affirming communities. It is found in every trans person who claims their name and their identity with boldness. It is witnessed by every cisgender ally who makes a stand against injustice.

On this Trans Day of Visibility, we affirm that trans people are beloved, visible, and full of joy. We celebrate trans and genderqueer people and we commit to ensuring that trans visibility is not merely symbolic, but met with justice, affirmation, and love. God desires life for all of us, not mere survival. Jesus came that we may have life abundantly (John 10:10).

May we all go on our way rejoicing.

Rev Rosa Ross and the Advocacy Committee for LGBTQIA+ Equity of the PC(USA)

A Look at the Reformed Catholic Church

 

We, the people of the Reformed Catholic Church; Transformed by Jesus Christ through Baptism; Empowered by the Holy Spirit; Nourished by the Eucharist; United in our faith; Liberated by the love of God; Commit ourselves to be God's welcoming heart of mercy, God’s inclusive arms of love, and God's hands of justice and healing to all people who seek God through Jesus Christ

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The Reformed Catholic Church is an Independent Catholic Church, not under the authority of the Bishop of Rome. We are similar in our liturgy, sacraments and apostolic succession. Our heritage flows from the Old Catholic Church, which split with the Roman Catholic Church in 1870 over certain doctrines of the First Vatican Council. We profess a more progressive theology, ordain men and women, offer open communion, and are fully affirming and inclusive of the LGBTQ community in the life of the Church, including Holy Orders.

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As the Institutional Church rose from the ministry of Jesus and became codified into the Eastern and Western Churches, there have been moments of debate that have led to new directions. In 1054, for example, the Roman Catholic Church caused a schism with the Eastern Church over the insertion, without ecumenical agreement, of a phrase referred to as the Filioque or "and from the son". Roman Catholic leadership changed the creed of the Church by being inserting "who proceeds from the Father and the Son." Since this breach, the Roman Catholic Church has promoted herself as the "one true Church." This despite being the Ecclesial body who changed the orthodoxy. In 1517 theologians and clergy stood against the Roman Catholic Church's abuse of power and greed. This stance led to the Protestant Reformation and the creation of what would become the Lutheran, Anglican, and Presbyterian Churches.  

The year 1648 brought about the end of the Thirty Years' War - a war between nations in response to the Roman Catholic Church's desire to control nations with theocratic rule and nations' desires to rule themselves. This war produced what we now call the Great Enlightenment. From this era, secularism in the form of science, secular governance, and academia invited humanity to be led primarily by reason. In 1730, as The United States of American was being born, The Great Awakening brought about the proliferation of Evangelicalism and the solidification of Methodism. As the Roman Catholic Church became aware of their new need to compete in a marketplace of ideas, the First Vatican Council, Vatican I, was convened. 

The Roman Catholic Church, as a result of Vatican I, created the doctrine of "Papal Infallibility." Also, Pope Pius IX scribed an apostolic constitution named Ineffabilis Deus. In his constitution, he established the doctrine known as the "Immaculate Conception." While this was a practice of some Christian communities, the Roman Church made it into dogma with no real theological support. These overreaches by the Roman Catholic Church were again met with schism. In 1871, in response to Vatican I, the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht was born.

Breaks from Rome continued to occur in the modern era. The Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church was created in 1945 by Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa. Duarte Costa disagreed with several moves by the Roman Catholic Church, including their closeness with fascist regimes. In June of 1945, Costa broke with the Roman Church, establishing the Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira or ICAB.

Vatican II was a further source of consternation among communities of Catholics who split from Rome, claiming that the Papal See was vacant and that the modern "Popes" were no longer the Vicar of Christ. These communities have been quite popular among traditionalist Catholics.  

While it may seem like the word "Catholic" is synonymous with Roman Catholic, it is merely a word that means "Universal" or that the subject applies to all of humankind. Likewise, the term "Catholic" refers to a culture of people with catholic ideas - The Mass, the Sacraments, the need for clergy, and apostolic succession. This understanding of Catholicism is at the foundation of the growth of the contemporary Independent Catholic Movement.

Independent Catholic communities exist throughout the world. The Reformed Catholic Church is one such community. The Reformed Catholic Church offers valid apostolic succession (the passing on of the ministry through the laying on of hands through bishops from the time of the Apostles), the seven sacraments, the same offices of the clergy, the same rituals and rites, and many other overlapping prayers and other necessities.  

What makes the Reformed Catholic Church distinct is that it's inclusive, affirming, and open to all. This vision of inclusiveness welcomes women, LGBTQ, and married persons to Holy Orders, welcomes LGBTQ couples to the sacrament of Marriage and welcomes all to the Eucharistic table.

The Reformed Catholic Church began its journey toward service in 1997 when several clergy from other Independent Catholic Churches came together to offer a radical vision of an inclusive church rooted in Catholic tradition's essentials. There were many growing pains and winnowing events throughout its early years. Eventually, Bishop Chris Carpenter (a former Roman Catholic Priest) established the Reformed Catholic Church as a non-profit 501 (c)(3) Church in 2016. This milestone resulted from many years of work toward creating Canons of the Church, establishing approved rituals, developing training for aspiring clergy, and further efforts to define the body of the organization. Since the creation of the Church as a non-profit, the Church has grown and thrived

Learn more about the Reformed Catholic Church on their web site and find a local congregation near you.

The Reformed Catholic Church

Abiding Presence Faith Community

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How to Respond to the Anti-Trans Legislation? LGBTQIA+ Advocacy Team Responds

We, the Advocacy Committee for LGBTQIA+ Equity (ACQ+E), stand firmly against any effort to dehumanize or strip away the human and civil rights of our LGBTQIA+ siblings. We recognize that it can be hard to know what to do during these challenging times, and we want you to know you are not alone. We are committed to walking alongside you in love, and we are encouraging each other—and all who share our values—to take these steps together: 

1. Within Your Sessions and Congregations: Strive to create worship spaces where every person feels welcomed, valued, and safe. 

2. In Your Presbyteries: Support Amendments 24 A and 24 C so they become part of our Book of Order, strengthening protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals within the Presbyterian Church. 

3. With Your Elected Representatives: Use the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Voter Voice platform, which streamlines the process of locating and contacting your local, state, and federal officials, making it easier to raise your voice and advocate for human rights legislation.  

At the same time, it is crucial that we each care for our own well-being. Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) “suggests that anti-LGBTQ political administrations and policies negatively impact the psychological well-being of sexual and gender minority populations.” In alignment with research and recommendations from the APA, we encourage you—just as we encourage ourselves—to: 

• Prioritize mental health and seek professional or pastoral support when needed. 

• Be intentional about when and how you consume social and news media, ensuring it supports rather than undermines your well-being. 

• Nurture close, supportive relationships that uplift you. Positive social networks serve as a powerful buffer against stress and discrimination. 

• Connect with affirming worshipping communities that embrace you fully. 

• Incorporate intentional self-care practices into daily life. 

Our work is rooted in God’s deep love for justice (Psalm 33:5; Micah 6:8; Isaiah 61:8) and guided by Jesus’ vision of overturning oppressive systems (Luke 1:52-53; Matthew 5:3-10). We hold fast to the promise of a renewed creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:19-21)—one in which all God’s children partake in the justice, peace, and joy granted by the Spirit (Jeremiah 22:3; Psalm 106:3; Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22-23). 

If you or someone you know needs additional support, please reach out to the 
LGBTQI+ Lifeline. You are not alone; we stand with you in faith, hope, and love. 

The Advocacy Committee on LGBTQIA+ Equity (ACQ+E) is a standing committee of the General Assembly. The committee was formed by the General Assembly in 2022 to assisting the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in providing full expression to the rich diversity of its membership as described in the Book of Order. See their website here.