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[–]WildwoodFlower 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I can understand the appeal of staying in your current church and trying to change people's hearts and minds. And that's great if you happen to be in a church that is starting the journey to becoming more inclusive. However, if the powers-that-be within your denomination aren't likely to budge, I would recommend leaving and finding an affirming church. Why subject yourself to institutionalized homophobia in the hopes that things might change when you can be part of a welcoming community where you can worship with other lesbians and gay men?

Although many churches are closed due to Covid, you can still check them out online and maybe stream some of their services. It will give you a feel for what each church is like, and hopefully you will find one that is a good fit. If you live in or near a "gayborhood", the mainline Protestant churches in that area are probably the best place to start.

[–]emilyprentiss[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The pastor at my church is actually a very chill dude, who is very open to talking about anything and does not judge or condemn. It's more like my fellow churchgoers who are awful, to different degrees. A lot of younger people are quite liberal, so I was mainly thinking about them.

But I understand what you mean, and I know that in the long-term, I will likely end up leaving my current church for an inclusive one, just because I don't want to always be 'fighting' or feel like I'm swimming against a current.

I have not thought about checking churches out online, but it sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the advice!