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The Christian Queer was originally a printed monthly newsletter with the subheading '' A voice to and from Christian gay, lesbian, bi and transgender people'' starting in about early 2003. Intersex was added later after meeting an intersex person one day and hearing their story. The newsletter editor tried to cover mainly book reviews and devotions or anything else on subjects of interest to Christian GLBTI people. At the time the editor was going to St Andrews Anglican Church in Subiaco, Perth, W.A. The newsletter was distributed from there and to whoever else was interested in reading it elsewhere. After a couple of good years at St. Andrews 6pm Sunday service he left St Andrews and eventually ended up in The Uniting Church. He still has good relations with St. Andrews. I have now found a website a cheaper and more eviromentally friendly way of reaching people with far less paper used. I met Bev Fabb and Libby Paterson [ later deceased] at a conference run in Perth
Bev Fabb through The Uniting Church in the City of Perth W.A. saw the need for a group where other gay people could meet for fellowship in the city and with the unanimous approval of those in authority she started the group which was later named ''Uniting Friends''. She can be contacted below. We have regular events which will be be advertised on this site or through Bev.
We would welcome the opportunity to get to know us and you and show you the Jesus who reached out to the people sadly rejected by both society and church of his and sometimes our time too.
All can be united with God. Sexuality and spirituality can be be reconciled.
Can you be Christian and gay? Uniting Friends says YES! And so do many other Christians.
Jesus did not come to condemn. Jesus came to bring life in it's fullest.
Jesus said "Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Mathew 11:28
My aim on this website is NOT to tell you what to believe but share some of mine and others experiences. I simply aim to point you in the direction of things that have helped me, others and hopefully will help you. This can be found through my story below and in particular the links to other websites, groups and "Uniting Friends". I realise that this is a controversial subject in society and in particular the Christian church but hopefully things will become more clear for you. REMEMBER :We are NOT forcing any belief on you. What you beleve is your choice before God.
Contact us;
Note new office and contact details. Also note Bev is unavailable until after new year 2010.
Uniting Friends
Uniting Church in the City office,
Bev Fabb
Level 1 Queens Building, 97 William St, Perth
P.O. Box X2222, Perth W.A. 6847
Ph. 08 6103 4222 email bevf@ucic.org.au or admin@ucic.org.au
Why we say it's O.K to be gay and Christian
Colourful Dave's Story
I grew up always being atrracted to the same sex at my age group. Yet I also went to church and when I started "coming out" {letting friends know who I was,actually gay} I started getting a whole range of reactions, too many to name. Some it didn't make any difference who I was, other friends I've completly lost forever, others wanted and tried several times to cast out so called demonic spirits from me, {very bad practice }, others tried to send me for prayer ministry which either resulted in normal prayer life but more often than not led to more casting out of of the devil they wrongly thought was in me and shouting things from the top of their lungs like REPENT OF YOUR HOMOSEXUALITY OR YOU WILL BURN IN HELL. That particular so called man of God is stil in ministry in his church. He put a particular emphasis on the word burn as he stood over me with a bible in hand. We at Uniting Friends and The Christian Queer do not belive in or practice such un -Christlike practices. Yet it was a lifetime of recieving practices like that and other similair things that have been the reason for at least one mental breakdown. After reciving bad treatment from one church I had a nervous breakdown and my ministers response to seeing me in a mental ward was "I didn't want to see you but it's my denomonations teaching to visit all people in hospital in my congregation". After that I had about 4 Christians who stuck by me. I have since found that it was not his denomonations practice for homosexuals but it was his what is commonly called homopobia, {the fear and/or hatred of homosexuals}. It was his personal issue as a man not his demonation and I am making peace with that same church again years later.At the time though, I lost several denomonations of life long support. Some others had conditional love later - the condition being that I might they hoped and still pray, leave all homosexuality behind. There rejection of me drove me back onto anyone who would support me and at the time I had very good mental health services supporting me. The churches that I found at the time that I could get to on public transport instead of being Christ's ambassadors seemed to almost totally reject me.
I started trying to find a good church , one that would support my aching broken heart and it took me a while. I went a good one, to St Andrews Anglican Church in Subiaco, WA {see them on affirming churches page} but eventually it became impossible to get there with transport. So I went from one negative gay hating church to another. Eventually I heard of a conference in Perth for GLBTI Christians and after enjoying that stayed with one of those churches. And to this day I stay there. Also Uniting Friends has grown out of that.
So why don't you go down the path of groups like Exodus International?
Simple explanation. I tried it for several years personaly and it doesn't work. I've been to their meetings of various similair types and the people always eventually end up in three ways. 1. Miserable and married. 2. Having nervous break downs and in so called support groups for life that don't work or actually help anyone.Or 3. Back in homosexual relationsips.
Believe me I HONESTY TRIED, BEGGED God to change me. I went to every ex - homesexual support group I could find and get to in Perth for years. I've tried aversion therapy, exorcism, prayer counselling, talking to pastors, support groups, bible study groups for many years at a time........the list goes on and none of them work. Why because for whatever reason God expects some people to be gay, lesbian, bi etc. It's just like some people have brown hair, others black, others red, still others none,some curly some straight. It makes no difference......Were all people and God loves diversity. God just didn't make white people, some are black. It makes no difference. Look at all the variety of races of people, of intersts in life, then all the animals. Just the birds or dogs alone in their variety. It's obvious God loves and created diversity.
Then it comes to sex. Different couple like doing different things in their sex life both in the heterosexual and homosexual communities. That isn't bad. So long as you aren't hurting anyone and your'e loving each other it's generally not bad. I believe the it's the same for homosexuals as it is for heterosexual people in the bible. Some find it difficult and give in, I know I'm in position to judge anyone but as a friend of mine used to say about something comletly different "Do your best, pray that it's blessed, God will take care of the rest." It seems simplistic but if you are truly open to God, he will point out if you are doing something wrong. Gay and Lesbian or heterosexual, it makes no difference we are all just as responsible to God. He loves us just the same.
So my conclusion......
God loves and created diversity. Enjoy it, use it. He even made eccentric people like me. Love me and accept my diffences as I love and accept your differences. It 's like my bumper sticker that goes '' If God didn't create homosexuals, there wouldn't be any." Above the two o's in homosexuals in that sticker are halo's. The bible teaches that God made all the animals, plants and foods in their diversity..... Why not sexual diversity; so long as you aren't hurting anyone. It all goes for making a better world.
Thats why counseling etc to come out of homosexuality as a whole doesn't work. Because some people are made to be that way and following the makers instructions usually goes best. All I say is gays like everyone else need to be responsible with your lifestyle and follow the teachings of Christ just the same, no more, no less than any one else.
