Many Parts, One Body: Stories of Older Queer Christians (a video and reflection resource)
“God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Cor. 12:24-26
LGBTQ+ Christians growing up and coming out in the late 20th-century American church were often offered only dangerous options: invisibility in the closet, “treatment” through exorcism or reparative therapy, or expulsion. Yet despite misunderstanding, rejection, and profound psychological harm, many clung to their faith, bearing witness to Christ’s love with remarkable faithfulness and forgiveness.
We have much to learn from these forerunners. Their stories are not only historically significant but urgently relevant today. What once seemed like growing LGBTQ+ acceptance—with the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 and greater public visibility—has given way to a socio-political backlash and a wave of anti-queer legislation. A gay teenager in West Virginia or a transgender young adult in Arizona may face many of the same realities as those whose stories are shared here. In many communities across the U.S. and beyond, suppression, scapegoating, and violence remain everyday realities.
We share these stories as a resource for the Body of Christ, inviting us to reckon with the cost—to us all—of denying the humanity of our LGBTQ+ siblings in Christ.
Why Many Parts, One Body? Oriented to Love invites Christians to lean across difference with the posture of a learner. Without abandoning our convictions, we lay down our arguments long enough to listen deeply, allowing another’s story to expand our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus faithfully.
We invite you to watch this series, in which older LGBTQ+ Christians share their experiences of coming out in the church decades ago, the challenges they faced, and how they continued to cling to Jesus. After each video, spend a few minutes reflecting on the accompanying questions, answering them as honestly as you can.
Top left: Rev. Canon Carla Robinson | “I couldn’t walk away from Jesus”
The Rev. Canon Carla Robinson is Canon for Multicultural Ministry and Community Transformation at the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia in Washington. She served as a Lutheran pastor for 13 years before coming to the Episcopal Church.
Top right: Doug Houck | “I paid a price in trying to conform”
Doug Houck (he/him) lives in Tacoma, WA. A retired management analyst for the National Park Service, Doug enjoys international travel and walking long distance trails such as the Via Francigena and the Camino Santiago. He is involved with Tacoma Mature Men, a social activities organization for senior gay men, and an active member of Urban Grace Church.
Bottom Left: Lin Melone | “Queer folks are already here in the church”
Lin Melone serves on the preaching-teaching team of Church of the Sojourners in San Francisco, an intentional Christian community, and on the EDI Council for Q Christian Fellowship. She’s the queer mom of a grown son from a former mixed-orientation marriage, and a co-leader of the Bay Area Revoice chapter.
Bottom right: Joe Gray | “You create your own closet”
Joe Gray spearheaded a CDC-funded outreach program to the faith-based community in Seattle and Tacoma (WA) in the 1990s, one of the first in the nation to tap the Black church as an effective tool for reducing AIDS in the Black community and addressing the unique needs of Black gay men who were estranged from or cast out by the church of their youth. Today he lives with his husband back in Philadelphia, where he grew up.
Download the reflection questions for group or individual usage
This downloadable guide features information and reflection questions for each person and their story.