A local pastor shares her experience as a member of both the LGBTQ and faith communities.
WE ARE HALFWAYTHROUGH PRIDE MONTH.HERE AT 41 ACTION NEWS,WE'RE SHARING STORIESTHAT HIGHLIGHT THE L-G-T-B-Q PLUS COMMUNITY.THIS MORNING WE AREPROFILING ONE LOCALREVEREND WHO TOOK ALEAP OF FAITH WHEN SHEBECAME ONE OF THE FEWOPENLY GAY FAITHLEADERS IN KANSAS CITY.IN A STORY YOU WILLONLY SEE ON 41 ACTIONNEWS--- JORDAN BETTSTELLS THE STORY ABOUTTRUSTING FAITH IN ACHALLENGE TIME.REVEREND DONNA SIMONHAS A CALLING, A GREATERCALLING.Rev.
Donna Simon, St.
Mark Hopeand Peace Lutheran Church"I am trying to serve thechurch faithfully.
I forget I amserving it faithfully as alesbianbecause my primary identity ispastor."BUT HER PASSION TOSERVE A HIGHER POWERWAS NOT WELCOMED ATTHE START.Rev.
Donna Simon, St.
Mark Hopeand Peace Lutheran Church"30-40 years ago, there wereno gay pastors in ourdenomination."BECAUSE BEING A GAYPASTOR...UNHEARD OF.Rev.
Donna Simon, St.
Mark Hopeand Peace Lutheran Church"In 1990, we had a gay manand two lesbians ordained inSan Fransisco and thosecongregations wereimmediately put on notice andin five years, which theamount of time it takes todiscuss and remove acongregation.
They wereremoved from ourdenomination for makingthose calls.
Those were thelast calls that were issueduntil2000 when one of thepredecessor called me.'DESPITE WHAT COULDCOME, SIMON TOOK THEROLE AT SAINT MARK.HOPE AND PEACELUTHERAN CHURCH IN KC.Rev.
Donna Simon, St.
Mark Hopeand Peace Lutheran Church"I showed up here in KC andthe first day in theoffice...August 30th 2000, Icalled the bishop and said Iam really sorry because youare going to have to gothrough a whole processbecause you are supposed toremove my church."BUT THEY DIDN'T REMOVETHE CHURCH...THEYWELCOMED THIS NEWBEGINNING...SORT OF.Rev.
Donna Simon, St.
Mark Hopeand Peace Lutheran Churc"The Lutheran pastors whowere just really supportive,really wonderful.
There wereother people who weren'tready for this change in thechurch and seeing me andhaving an in flesh lesbian outpastor meant the change wascoming if they liked it or not."SINCE THEN, CHURCHESALL OVER THE CITY ANDCOUNTRY EMBRACE AGROUP THAT JUST WANTSTO BE LIKE EVERYBODYELSE.THAT MEANS INCLUDIAND ACCEPTING THEM TOWHATEVER PLACE THEYWANT TO WORSHIP IN.Rev.
Donna Simon, St.
Mark Hopeand Peace Lutheran Church"Our church has to be willingto go to the ends of the earthand to bring everyone into thisloving fellowship."THE REVEREND ISMARRIED TO HERBEAUTIFUL WIFE AND THEYHAVE A LITTLE BOY.
SHESAYS IF YOU ARE AFRAIDTO COME TO CHURCHBECAUSE YOU ARE GAY,YOU SHOULDN"T.
SHESAYS HER CHURCH ALONGWITH DOZENS OF OTHERSWILL WELCOME YOU WITHOPEN ARMSJORDAN" DID THEREVEREND EVER THINKHER DREAM OF SERVING INTHE CHURCHWOULDN"T COMETRUE?WILL WELCOME YOU WITHOPEN ARMSIN KC JORDAN BETTS 41
Normally, I prefer academics to remain separate from politics. It’s fashionable among certain groups to “politicize”..