Church has not always been a safe place for me. The churches I grew up in made it very clear that people like me were not welcome. The exclusions were plenty; the empathy was scarce. I had sworn off church because of the bitterness that had grown. That all slowly started to change the day I met Pastor Jeff at the local Transgender Day of Visibility event.
He had accompanied Laci Marie in a show of support. I was frankly shocked that a United Methodist minister would attend a Transgender community function, let alone encourage our participation in church life. It soon became clear that ROFUM was a safe place. A place where I could share my talents while healing and growing in my own spirituality.
ROFUM goes far beyond tolerance or acceptance. It is inclusive.