A reflection by Rev Roberto Ochoa, Conference Minister Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the United Church of Christ
As they were going along the road, they [Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch] came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:36-39 NSRVUE)
The account of the encounter between the Apostle Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch is an important one because it tells us that along with the Gentiles, eunuchs were considered uncleaned and therefore ineligible to enter the temple because of their sexuality identities and conditions under Jewish purity laws. When the Ethiopian eunuch asks Phillip what prevented them from getting baptized, Phillip told him as long as he believes he could be. Many biblical scholars have suggested that the Ethiopian eunuch is identified as Simeon Bakos, who seeded what is now one of the oldest, if not the oldest, continuous Christian churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which officially formed in 330 A.D. Christianity was in Africa way before European Christian colonization. Simeon’s baptism and ministry of the spreading the teachings of Jesus is an example of someone who due to circumstance was not identified male or female (non-binary), yet went on to be an important figure in Christian history. God indeed calls the marginalize to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In 1990, when I was in the crossroads of where God was leading me in Christian ministry, a colleague of mine called to informed me that her local church in our town (Baldwin Park, CA) had just voted to become a “More Light” congregation. At first not understanding what she meant, she explained that “More Light” was a ministry within the Presbyterian Church (USA) to affirm full acceptance and participation of the LGBTQA+ members in the church.
My friend and I had been working together for the past couple of years, and she was aware of my ministry as a gay man, especially around HIV/AIDS outreach. She also knew I was looking to attend a local church and excitedly invited me.
I wasn’t so sure I wanted to attend; however, I trusted her. So, on the next Sunday morning, I got up, got dressed and walked (yes walked) to church as it was only four blocks away from my home.
When I arrived, my friend was the greeter and was happy to see me. She handed me a bulletin of worship and asked me to stay for coffee afterward. Which I agreed to. I am naturally shy, so I sat in the last pew nearest to an exit, just in case.
I proceeded to read the bulletin and to my surprise on the front page a statement was printed. It said (and I am paraphrasing here) that the congregation understood that the church has been a source of spiritual/religious pain to the members of the gay and lesbian communities, and that First Presbyterian Church (USA) Baldwin Park was a “More Light” church which fully welcomed and affirmed the LGBTQ community participation at all levels in the church. It was a bold statement for its time and soon thereafter I joined as a member and one year later was elected as a Session Elder, which caused consequences to First Presbyterian…and that is a story for another day.
The clear statement of welcome and inclusion of First Pres Baldwin Park, would be the trajectory that would lead me to the Open and Affirming ministry of the UCC when I moved to Massachusetts, prepared me for ministry in a mainline tradition, and to where I am today.
Welcoming statements, rainbow symbols of all kinds, like banners, painted doors. LGBTQA+ affirming spiritual and social support literature, help assure a weary LGBTQ+ person and their family that the church is not only welcoming, but also a safe space to enter and worship God with an accepting community focused on Christ’s love, peace, and justice.
UCC Open and Affirming Sunday was June 29th. In commemorating June Pride month, which remembers the Stonewall Inn uprisings on June 29,1969 and ushered in the modern day LGBTQA+ civil rights movement, a local Iowan newspaper, the Little Village, describes the ministry of welcome and affirmation by two Faith UCC’s…Faith UCC in Iowa City, pastored by Rev Ryan Dowling and Faith UCC in Muscatine, pastored by Rev Paris White. I had the honor and joy of preaching at Faith UCC Muscatine on June 22nd. May their congregational and other faith communities’ stories be a divine inspiration of courage for us all in Jesus’ Name.
Please follow the link to read the article: ‘It was necessary to become activists’: LGBTQ-affirming Iowa religious groups find church in quiet rooms, loud rallies – Little Village
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto