Answering Questions Regarding First Church Becoming Reconciling

It’s no secret, many who identify as LGBTQ+ consider First Church Orlando their spiritual home. It’s also no secret that many groups and ministries within our congregation have affiliated with the Reconciling Ministries Network; an advocacy group within United Methodism, advocating for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons (for more information on the Reconciling Ministries Network, visit their website). And, for several years, a group of LGBTQ+ members and allies within our congregation – Forward Together: All Means All – have been actively working, teaching, and advocating for First Church to become a Reconciling congregation, affirming that all people are welcome and safe here.

Hopefully you are aware that we are currently conducting a straw poll to determine the level of support within our church family for becoming a Reconciling congregation, and what questions or concerns may still exist. If you or anyone else in your household have not yet voted in the straw poll, please do so by Sunday, August 13. We want to hear from you!

Some who have participated in the straw poll have shared a variety of opinions/concerns/questions. As we now have this blog as a new feature of our website, this seems like an ideal place for me to speak to those comments. Though I am admittedly an enthusiastic advocate for becoming a Reconciling church, and believe that is the right next step for First Church, my purpose here is not to “take a side.” I hope to simply address the questions and concerns that have been raised.

Several questions/comments were not necessarily against becoming a Reconciling church, but expressed concerns that we have overly-focused on one group of people, potentially to the exclusion of others.

There’s simply no denying that the LGBTQ+ community has been front and center in many recent church-related conversations. Obviously, First Church was deeply affected by the Pulse tragedy, in 2016, and we have continued to host the annual 49 Bells remembrance as well as hosting dinners for the survivors and victim’s families. 

For United Methodists, disagreements regarding the full inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQ+ persons has led to a painful denominational split, with Methodists of more traditional views leaving to form a new denomination. Very likely, remaining United Methodist churches will become more openly affirming. Just this summer, several new pastors identifying as LGBTQ+ were affirmed and commissioned at the Florida Annual Conference, and appointed to various churches and ministries in July. 

And, there’s been much conversation regarding anti-LGBTQ+ legislation working through our state government, raising alarms for the Florida LGBTQ+ community and their supporters.

So, yes, there is more emphasis on a particular group of people at this moment of our history – just as there were during the abolitionist, suffrage and civil rights movements in the past. In the midst of so much trauma, fear, confusion, and division, now is an historic opportunity for First Church Orlando to make a public affirmation that ALL people are welcome here – including the LGBTQ community.

But, let me be clear, that doesn’t mean we aren’t also eagerly ready to welcome ALL people! In the last two years, we’ve employed full-time Children and Youth directors, because we value young families. One of our strongest Serve ministries is our monthly Senior Friends ministry for Senior Adults living downtown. During my time as the Lead Pastor, we’ve employed a Caribbean Islander, African Americans, Haitian Americans, a Philippine-American, an intern with physical disabilities, and LGBTQ+ persons on our staff. Though we are still primarily an Anglo congregation, I celebrate our growing ethnic diversity, and try to reflect that in the writers I quote. In addition to our annual participation in the Come Out With Pride Day parade, we also marched in the Dr. Martin Luther King Day parade prior to Covid. Though there’s much more to be done to reach all kinds of people, First Church has made significant strides to open our doors wider and wider, even as we have specifically emphasized the LGBTQ+ community!

 I should also mention our growing emphasis on service. We now host three community events a year – the Literacy Event/Book Giveaway, the Plant Exchange, the Indoor Garage Sale – each seeking to connect with our community in uniquely different ways, and raise awareness and funds for service projects to benefit the poor. We just concluded a very successful school supply drive, to benefit several Title 1 schools. And, we’ve collected literal tons of hygiene products, clothes, shoes, socks, and non-perishable foods for the Christian Service Center, as well as regularly volunteering (You should know, three of us from First Church serve on the CSC Board of Directors). Largely through the Christian Service Center, and other ongoing efforts, we remain committed to serving the homeless community, who are on our doorstep every day. In the Fall, we will have another meal packing event to send meals to poor communities around the world and our annual Christmas food giveaway. And, plans are in the works for more!

On a more personal note, I’ve fought to make churches more open and inclusive throughout my ministry. When I was the Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Winter Park, we had many families with special-needs children, and we actively worked to make our church and Children’s ministry as hospitable as possible. As a campus minister, I became immersed in the Mayan culture of Guatemala, which increased my admiration of and appreciation for indigenous people everywhere. My last church, in Coral Springs, was 30% non-Anglo, and also hosted a Brazilian congregation and a Saturday night Spanish-speaking Dinner Church. Personally speaking, I’m heartbroken by the lack of United Methodist ministry in Orlando to the African American and Latino communities, and would love for First Church to increasingly include both.

So, YES, in this historic moment, there may be more attention on our LGBTQ+ friends than others. But, NO, our focus on becoming a safe, affirming church for LGBTQ+ person is NOT excluding anyone.   As we say, “All means all!”

The reason we are moving toward becoming a Reconciling church is to state clearly and publicly that LGBTQ+ persons are safe and welcome at First Church, when so many other churches and public spaces are clearly not safe or welcoming. When an LGBTQ+ person has experienced harm in church, or anywhere else, they may not know which churches are safe, and which are not. For years, First Church has been a welcoming, loving church. But, from the outside, how would an LGBTQ+ person know they are welcome here, when so many churches are unsafe? Being a Reconciling church is simply a way of publicly stating who we already are.

 I’d also like to celebrate the work and commitment of the Forward Together: All Means All team. Some of the sentiments regarding our emphasis on the LGBTQ+ community are likely a direct result of Forward Together’s persistence. So, if you feel a particular group is underrepresented or underserved at First Church, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT – like Forward Together has! You have my full support! Gather a group of like-minded committed folks and let’s get to work! 

Who wants to start a ministry for persons with special needs? Who wants to start an adult literacy ministry? Who wants to start a Spanish or Creole language ministry? Who wants to start something new for persons experiencing homelessness? Who wants to start a singles ministry? Who wants to do something about immigrants, refugees, or human trafficking? Who wants to tackle affordable housing? Who’s passionate about childhood hunger? Let’s do something! The sky is the limit!  Our current emphasis on LGBTQ+ persons in no way excludes or precludes reaching or serving anyone else! We can, as they say, “Walk and chew bubble gum at the same time!” And, by the way, LGBTQ+ persons also include young and old, rich and poor, housed and homeless, men/women/non-binary persons, persons of every language and ethnicity, and persons with disabilities.

All really does mean all!

In my next blog (coming soon), I’ll address ways becoming a Reconciling congregation may or may not affect who we are. Stay tuned!

As always, I'd love to hear from you.  My email is vance@firstchurchorlando.org, or comment below.

Pastor Vance