2011 AUGUST NEWSLETTER

At its July meeting, OCC PFLAG began its study of transgender issues with the excellent film, “Faces & Facets of Transgender Experience,” produced by the Boulder, CO PFLAG chapter. Interviews with many transgender children and adults and their families put faces and stories with the relatively rare experience of our transgender friends.

Our speaker in August was The Rev. David Weekley, a Methodist pastor from Portland, has been an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church since 1984. He is also a Transgender man. He quietly served his congregations for twenty-eight years before sharing his story and spiritual journey with his congregation, denomination, and the world – the story of a Christian, an ordained minister, a loving husband and father. His book, In From The Wilderness, challenges Christians and all spiritual seekers to consider the truth of gender identity and sexual orientation as God given-gifts to be celebrated and embraced among all other gifts.

We look forward to future meetings with other transgender guest speakers and discussions. Resources for transgender individuals are scarce in rural areas, so our PFLAG chapter works to help connect members and friends to organizations with expertise and sensitivity to their needs.