Hi there! I'm Josh and I'm gay too. I may be young but I know what it's like to go to church and have the pastor talk about gays so harshly and you see all that stuff on TV. Yes, of course god loves you!!! Even if being gay was a sin, God would still love you, nothing can take that away. But let me tell you that after doing some research, reading some books, and doing some praying and soul searching, I came to the conclusion that god loves me for who I am and that he in fact made me this way and there is no need to change it. There is a way to live a "gay christian" life. As long as your relationship is monagamous (no cheating, goes for heterosexuals too) and loving  and christ-centered. There is a websit called http://www.gaychristian.net/ where you can read some stuff and talk to some people on the message board. When I first decided to come back to god, these people had an outstanding warm welcome and i post on the message boards daily (my SN is country_josh). I highly recommend you check this out! Also if there is a ONA (Open and Affirming, you can search on the offcial website) United Church of Christ in your area, definitely check that out. Even if a church isn't listed ONA, it's still worth a try to call and ask them if they condemn gays, but if it's labled ONA, it's definitely "LGBT affirming". So either check out the website or check out a UCC in your area, but I reccomend doing both. Remember  always god loves you!!!

Your brother in Christ,

Josh

Yes, God loves you. Yes, there is a place for you. Yes, there are churches where you can not only celebrate your humanity and gifts, but also where you are expected to participate, to lead, and to answer God's call to service, whatever form that takes. We're the UCC, and we are making a conscious effort to offer a safe place to worship, to share, and to be a part of the faithful community of God. You might want to go to the www.ucc.org website and click on the link to the Coalition for LGBT Concerns, which works with us on LGBT issues. I'm glad Josh found a place, and I hope you will, too. There are more than 500 ONA churches within the UCC, and more coming along. Do look for us in your area and when you travel. Check us out. If you have a UCC church near you, try it for a month, attending every Sunday and taking advantage of whatever social or educational or mission activities they have scheduled. You might find yourself more than a gay man searching for God--you might just discover that you are part of God's people, part of God's plan for a better world.

May God bless your search and your discoveries

Pastor Barbara

I have to say, I have read several of your responses to people's posts on this forum and I am so impressed with the attitude of love, compassion and welcome that you put forth. This is something that I believe so many people have been looking for in a church (myself included) and found sadly lacking in many places. I just found out about UCC 2 days ago, and I feel such hope that I may have finally found what my life has been missing for a long time.

- Michelle

I just got myself around to the board tonight.  I've been UCC all my life.  It gives me great joy to see all the people who are finding the UCC a welcoming spiritual home.  Just like God's many mansions, we, too, have room for everyone.

I have to say, I have read several of your responses to people's posts on this forum and I am so impressed with the attitude of love, compassion and welcome that you put forth. This is something that I believe so many people have been looking for in a church (myself included) and found sadly lacking in many places. I just found out about UCC 2 days ago, and I feel such hope that I may have finally found what my life has been missing for a long time.

- Michelle

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That is the same reaction I had when I found the UCC!  It was about 19 years between when I last went to church voluntarily and found the UCC.  I wondered where it had been my whole life!