Click here to view a video recording of this CLGS event!
Given the many times throughout the year we mark commemorations and celebrations important to our LGBTQ+ communities, let us embrace these opportunities to preach with queer wisdom and insight.
In this workshop, we delved into aspects of the richness of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and spirituality to discover themes and narratives that can enrich our understanding of Queer Holydays/Holidays. We also explored how we might honor and amplify the voices and stories of LGBTQ+ individuals, honoring our unique journeys and contributions to our faith communities and to the larger world.
Our presenters for this Queering the Word workshop were MCC ministers Rev. Lauren Bennett, Rev. Dr. Tijuana Gray, and Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw.
Our Queering the Word Faculty Members
Rev. Tijuana Gray
Rev. Dr. Tijuana Gray studies the implications and applications of womanist thought for the queer church. She has pastored two MCC churches and has served the denomination in several roles. In addition to her scholarly and ministerial pursuits, Tijuana is an actor/singer/dancer, movement specialist, and bodyworker. She loves to travel, eat, and cook, and is grateful for a spouse who supports all of her activities and participates in a few.
Rev. Lauren Bennett
Rev. Lauren Bennett is the Pastor at MCC Greater St. Louis. In addition, Lauren coordinates conferences and events for the MCC denomination. As a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, she lived in Washington, DC for four years before moving to the Midwest. Coming from a community organizing background, Lauren is particularly passionate about working with the crucified of our time for liberation from systems of oppression. In her free time, she loves being outside, reading, and spending time with her wife AhSa-Ti and son Ahmmit.
Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw
Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw (he/him) is the director of the Transgender Roundtable at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies and a faculty member of the Trans Religious Leadership Cohort. He served for 10 years as the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. Jakob received his Master of Divinity degree and a Certificate in Sexuality and Religion from the Pacific School of Religion and a Master of Arts in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Christian Theology and Spiritual Direction from St, Michael’s Theological College, Cardiff University, in Wales, UK, and a BA in Religious Studies from the University of South Florida. Jakob co-edited the book, Liberating Gender for Jews and Allies: The Wisdom of Transkeit, published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2022. Jakob and his husband, Allan, are proud fathers, in a family that gained legal recognition through marriage equality and adoption.
Our CLGS and MCC Queering the Word preaching workshops are designed for Christian preachers, seminarians, and anyone else interested in the art of preaching from a queer perspective!
Click here to see a list of other workshops in this series.
