By Marie Gettel-Gilmartin
How has being queer affected your relationship with faith, the Bible, church, God, and yourself?
How has Christianity helped, hurt, or hindered your faith?
How can we live further into our intentions to be a welcoming church?
These are just some of the questions we’re grappling with at our new storytelling series, Queer Grace.
On Sunday, August 28, Spirit of Grace launched the first powerful coffeehouse gathering in this series.
About 40 people came together to hear Kaitlin Pabo-Eulberg share her story of growing up in the church and coming into her own as a bisexual woman and pastor in a straight-passing marriage.
We opened with operating agreements, essential in any gathering where sensitive issues are discussed. After Kaitlin shared her story, a panel of queer conversation partners asked follow-up questions before the conversation was opened to the whole group.
Kaitlin with her spouse Nick
Attendees were riveted as Kaitlin shared about growing up in a queer-affirming church and family. She attended her first protest at age 8, standing up to the conservative “Focus on the Family” in Colorado.
She shared how she has struggled in feeling “queer enough” as a bisexual woman in the queer community. And she shared how she is fully aware of her own privilege in a straight-passing partnership.
Now that she’s expecting a baby, she is thinking about how she wants to raise her child in awareness of God’s inclusive grace…queer grace.
Our next Queer Grace coffeehouse will be on Sunday, September 18 at 7 p.m., when Hezzie will share their story as a queer, gender-fluid, high school senior. Future sessions will be on October 23 and November 20.
All are welcome, whether you are queer or straight/cis! Let us know if you are coming so we can plan enough food and drink: PastorRobyn@spiritofgracepdx.org. (RSVPs are appreciated, but not required.)