Loving & Embracing All

One of the sad truths about Christianity is that the church has often been a place of exclusion rather than inclusion. As I read the book, One Coin Found, by Emmy Kegler, I learned about the author’s love for God, the scriptures, and the church. I also learned about the struggles, suffering, and condemnation she more »

I have been a member of First Baptist Church for most of my life.  My family joined the church in October 1962 when I was 12 years old.  I went every Sunday, sang in the choir (as a boy soprano) until I went to Architectural school at Ball State in 1968.  For several years, I more »

Dad married Mom during her senior year of high school and I came along just late enough not to be called a “sooner” (as in “born sooner than I shoulda been.”). Mom told me she knelt at the church altar and gave me to God before I was born, which is probably the reason I more »

As I look back in my life, I recognize that I have changed my thinking in how I understand certain things. I have learned to be less judging of people who may live differently than I do. First Baptist Church has helped me accept others who believe differently. Maybe it’s because of the principle of more »

On Saturday, September 26, I participated in the first LGBTQ+ education session: Sexual Orientation 101. There was lots of important information shared. One of the things I found most helpful was that David Howser explained a lot of the terminology used. It makes me realize just how diverse the LGBTQ+ community is. It’s helpful to more »

At a very young age I realized that my dad became disenchanted with church involvement.  Instead of looking to Jesus as his guide for Christian life, he looked at the business misdealings of a fellow elder and became soured on the church. As a result, his opinions of “hypocrites” led him to take his family more »

For Karen people, our cultural background plays a big role in thinking about LGBTQ issues. We do not have an equivalent word in our language to capture the whole meaning of the acronym LGBTQ. Most of us were not familiar with the acronym until we came to the United States and even now when we more »

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to more »

As the mother of twin daughters, I waited with excitement for the teen years, looking forward to college trips, proms, teen sleepovers, graduations, weddings, and future grandchildren. I was diligent about parenting teens, i.e., knowing their friends’ parents, making sure parties were chaperoned, monitoring homework and grades, etc. Our twins were smart, had lots of friends, and as parents, we more »

One summer, after moving to Denver, I went to the annual Pride Festival to explore what resources were available in my new home that empowered people like me. I saw banks, the power company, various clubs and associations. And then I stumbled upon a row of churches. This was shocking to me, because of my more »

I grew up a valued member of an American Baptist Church… until I embraced a part of myself. I want to share part of my story with you, and to show how I was empowered and grew spiritually at another American Baptist Church that was officially welcoming and affirming of people who are gay. When more »

A process of discernment is underway at First Baptist Church of Indianapolis. Last November, the FBC Administrative Council voted unanimously to form a task force to design and lead a process of discernment, conversation and education related to LGBTQ inclusion. In May of this year, the task force was officially established and began its work more »