Not all churches support the law blocking trans health care.

 

Here's a letter signed by dozens of ministers...several in the Montgomery area:

We Care – An Open Letter of Support to Transgender Children and Their Families

We understand that the recent state legislation limiting access to critically needed care and support for transgender and gender-diverse children and their families is a devastating loss for you and your families. As clergy and faith leaders in the state of Alabama, we want to express our sincere love and concern for your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. While we may not fully understand your unique experiences, many of us know what it is like to feel rejected, left out, cast aside, bullied, targeted, and denied access to civil rights. We also know the vital importance of hearing voices of love and support. That is why we want to make sure you know that we care.

We care about your physical health. While we may not fully understand the biologics or therapeutics regarding transgender medical care, as we are not specialists in this area, we support the doctors and healthcare providers who are. We also support the efforts of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ pursuit to ensure comprehensive care and support for transgender and gender-diverse children and their families in a safe clinical space.

We care about your emotional health. While we may not fully understand the psychiatric, neurological, behavioral, or mental health therapeutics regarding transgender mental health care, as we are not specialists in this area, we support the doctors and healthcare providers who are. We also support the efforts of the American Psychiatric Association’s pursuit to provide appropriate mental health services to transgender and gender-diverse children and their families in a safe clinical space.

We care about your spiritual health. As faith leaders in the State of Alabama, we recognize there are diverse faith perspectives regarding LGTBQIA+ issues, even within the same religion, denomination, and congregation. We also recognize that religious leaders, institutions, and ideologies have caused great physical, emotional, and spiritual harm to the LGTBQIA+ community. The religious voices against you are often the loudest ones. We repent for this spiritual malpractice, and we regret not raising our voices louder for you to hear our support above the clamor. We hope that you might hear our voices now.

As individual specialists in the areas of religious belief, congregational leadership, spiritual care, and theological studies, we have concluded that:

You are loved by God.

You belong in this world.

You are beautiful.

You are wonderful.

You are not alone.

Should you need a safe space to explore your faith, please know you have a home in any of our communities. Should you need prayer or encouragement, we are here. Should you simply need to know that there are people of faith who support you and those caring for you, we have signed our names and listed our congregations below.

Rev. Erica Cooper, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Terry Hamilton-Poore, First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Dr. Samuel Hamilton-Poore, Montevallo Presbyterian Church, Montevallo, Alabama

Rev. Stephanie York Arnold, Birmingham First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Dr. Patrick Evans, Choir Director, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Katie Gilbert, First United Methodist Church, BIrmingham, Alabama

Rev. Joe Genau, Edgewood Presbyterian Church, Homewood, Alabama

Rev. Sarah Jackson Shelton, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Dr. Sue Westall, General Presbyter, Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley

Rev. Daniel Stallings, University Baptist Church, Montevallo, Alabama

Cristin Dedmon, Minister of Children, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Emily Freeman Penfield, Woodlawn United Methodist Church, Brimingham, AL

Katherine Mullen, Minister of Community Engagement, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Cathy C. Hoop, Grace Presbyterian Church, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Cantor Jessica Roskin, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, Pilgrim Church, UCC, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Dr. Timothy L. Kelley, Southside Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Jennifer Sanders, Beloved Community UCC, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Dr. David L. Barnhart, Jr., Saint Junia United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Elizabeth O’Neill, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Montgomery Alabama

Rev. Nicole Newton, First Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Joshua Noah, Open Table UCC, Mobile, Alabama

Rev. Drexel Rayford, PhD, Chaplain, UAB Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. H. Lee Lowery, Interim Rector, Holy Trinity, Auburn, Alabama

The Reverend Marc Burnette, Canterbury Episcopal Chapel, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Rev. Kelley Hudlow, The Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Sonya Y. Gravlee, Beloved Community UCC, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Judy Lee, Deacon, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Montevallo, AL

Ven. Marti Holmes, The Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Thomas Joyner, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Auburn, Alabama

Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Dan Pharr, Christ Lutheran Church, Prattville, Alabama

Rev. Penny Ford, United Methodist Church, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Rev. Lynn Hopkins, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Montgomery, Alabama

Rev. Richard Barham, Spirit of the Cross UCC, Huntsville, Alabama

The Rev. Pamela H. Long, Church of the Good Shepherd, Iglesia de Todos Santos, Montgomery, AL

The Rev. Dr. Mark LaGory, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Mountain Brook, AL.

Dr. David B. Freeman, Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, Alabama

The Rev. CJ Van Slyke, (retired) St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama

The Rev. Emily Collette, Birmingham Epsicopal Campus Ministries

The Rev. Katherine Harper, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Cathy George, Spirit of the Cross UCC, Huntsville, Alabama

Rev. Majadi Baruti, Udja Temple, Birmingham Alabama

Rev. Bart Grooms, retired Pastoral Counselor/Marriage and Family Therapist, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL

The Rev Dr Jose Fernandez, Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles, Hoover, AL

Rev. Fisher Humphreys, member, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, Alabama

The Rev. Mary Bea Sullivan, Episcopal Church, Birmingham, AL

Dr. R LaMon Brown, retired American Baptist Missionary, Baptist Church of the Covenant

Rev. Peggy Sanderford Ponder, Hospital Chaplain, Pastoral Psychotherapist, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Katy Smith, Episcopal Church, Birmingham, AL

The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Bridges, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama

Rev. Henry Gibson, United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL

Eric Clark, Minister of Community Engagement, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Lindsey Brady, Chaplain, Hospice of West Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Associate Pastor, Andy Yarnell, Gadsden FUMC and Mosaic, Gadsden, AL

Loraine Locke, Director, Birmingham Shambhala Meditation Center, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Steve M. Ingram, Hospital Chaplain, Birmingham AL

Rev. Lyndsay Cogdill Clark, Baptist Church of the Covenant (member) Birmingham, AL

Rev. Ann Carol Mann, Baptist Church of the Covenant (member) Birmingham, AL

Reggie Holder, Director of Growing Ministries, Highlands United Methodist Church

Rev. Dr. Helene H. Loper, God’s House, Tuscaloosa, AL

Rev. Elizabeth Cole Goodrich, Member at Large, Presbytery of Sheppards and Lapsley

Rev. Tammy H. Jackson, Anniston First United Methodist Church, Anniston, AL

Rev. Dr. Steve West, Senior Pastor, Jacksonville First United Methodist Church, Jacksonville, AL

Rev. Dr. Sam Hayes, Senior Pastor, Gadsden First United Methodist Church, Gadsden, AL

Rev. Kyle Bryan, Associate Pastor, Anniston First United Methodist Church, Anniston, AL

Rev. Herb Robertson, Hospital Chaplain, Birmingham AL

Rev. Carolyn Foster, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Greater Birmingham Ministries, Birmingham AL

Rev. Michael Malcom, Beloved Community UCC & the People’s Justice Council, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Tonny Algood, United Methodist Inner City Mission, Mobile

Rev. Julie Conrady, Unitarian Universalist Church, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Chris Rothbauer, Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Auburn, AL

Rev. Ruth Vann Lillian, Unitarian Universalist Fellowships of Emerald Coast & Bay County, FL

Rev. Dollie Howell Pankey, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church & Greater Birmingham Ministries

Rev. Deacon Dr. Cindy Roff, Canterbury Episcopal Church, Tuscaloosa, AL

Rev. Shane Isner, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Montgomery, AL

Rev. Alice Syltie, Huntsville AL

Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola, Fl

Rev. Jaimie Dingus, Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville, AL

Rev. Kim Wood, Conference Minister for the UCC Southeast Conference, Huntsville, AL

Dr. Dan Lawhon, Organist-Choirmaster, Baptist Church of the Covenant, Birmingham, AL

Rev. Brandon Hudson, Pastor, Crosscreek Baptist Church, Pelham, AL

Rev. Dixie Bearden Ford, Associate Pastor, Crosscreek Baptist Church, Pelham, AL

Chris Davis, Facilitator, Cahaba River Sangha, Birmingham, AL