Questionnaire 2: Question 11 - Yes Responses

‘Those that know always make me welcome and ensure I am involved.’

‘Coming out at Conference 2005.  Very supported by my superintendent and district chair.’

‘I did feel that way when I was attending regularly – in fact at one point I was described as being the future of the church I was in attendance at.  Although I don’t receive the same level of recognition I did as when I attended, I do get recognition and apparently mentioned in the regular Church magazine and asked after by the officials of the church.

I feel that I should add I would continue to attend this church if I still lived in my home town but as I now live around 400 miles away, it would be a struggle!’

‘I am recognised for what I do as anyone else in my posts would be.  This is, however, for the work I do and not for my sexuality.  Whether or not the general body of the congregation would be any less affirming were I to advertise my sexuality more widely I would not like to judge.  Some would and likely one or two would not.  Whether that would make me feel less affirmed as a servant of God or more inclined to pray for their enlightenment again I would not like to judge.  I would hope the latter, but being human I suspect that the former would be present to some degree.’

'Through public and private declarations for my contribution to the musical side of worship.’

‘I have answered yes but the answer is really “yes and no, depending on who we are referring to.”  I have declared my sexual orientation in letters to my superintendent minister and my own local minister.  One is a single celibate man; the other is a single celibate woman.  Both are what I call “hard-liners” who emphasise to me that gay is OK provided you stay celibate.  Relationships and marriage are for ONE MALE AND ONE FEMALE.  In front of study groups of ten people I told my minister I didn’t think my local church was at all gay-friendly.  How would the congregation react to a hand-holding same-sex couple joining the congregation.  The lady minister’s reply was that she has challenged unmarried heterosexual couples in her previous church.  (What the punishment would be for the same-sex couple she left the gathering to guess.)’

'There is a sense that each change of staff/authority means coming out again, but there is limited support for those who work for change e.g. Outcome never listed in official publications.’

‘By being really careful to whom I am open, especially since taking up paid work in the church in a lay post, I think people appreciate my work but they don’t appreciate it in the full knowledge of my identity, although I am ‘out’ to my direct line manager.  This is exacerbated by the fact that in my work I need to relate to organisations such as the Evangelical Alliance and other conservative groups, and I would lose credibility with them if my own identity were open.  I think I would risk greater openness if I was still working in a secular post.’

‘No one has ever challenged my right to lead worship (have done for over 25 years) or be part of many “committees” over the years.  Perhaps it’s because they have never thought that I am not heterosexual – and I won’t tell them if they don’t ask!’

‘I don’t like the word “celebrated” regards a gay person, therefore for some of my church friends who know of my sexuality, I believe I am recognised etc. for my gifts and hopefully personality.  (This applies I believe to some other gays within the circuit not what they are, but what they offer.)’

‘I have received a lot of support from the few I have come out to’

'I believe I am accepted for what I am and the ministry I fulfil – I have fulfilled faithfully for long years.’

‘Thanked from the pulpit; given more responsible tasks’

‘My ministry as a Local Preacher is affirmed and celebrated by the Church - and by individual members of the body which makes up that church. But at this point in history it cannot be celebrated in terms of my sexuality - not because of what the church believes, but because of the cultural influences of phobia inherent in the majority of adherents. A good parallel here would be with apartheid and South Africa. Yes. apartheid has ended , but in practice I discovered last year that Methodist churches can still be segregated - only churches in poorer areas with mixed racial congregations. Cultural conditioning takes a generation or so to be weaned out - I suspect it will be the same with same sex relationship issues.’