Q&A: Being transgender
accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender rela- tionships to be ordained and rostered.” And on July 25, 2010, Rohrer was received onto the ELCA roster. Rohrer is believed to be one of the first openly
transgender pastors on the ELCA roster. Tis July, Asher O’Callaghan, a transgender person, was ordained at House for All Sinners and All Saints in Denver. Rohrer now serves Grace Evangelical Lutheran
Church in San Francisco and continues as executive director of Welcome. Te pastor remains committed to serving and speak-
ing out on behalf of individuals who are homeless. “Te Bible says a lot that we should listen for God’s voice,” Rohrer said. “Spending time with the homeless was a place where I could listen to God’s voice in the world and be paying attention to potential prophets.” Part of this commitment to the homeless comes from
knowing what it feels like to be on the fringe and unsure if the church will welcome you, Rohrer said.
Grace under fire Members of Grace have been welcoming to their pastor, but the call has not been without challenges. Last year a Presbyterian congregation that rented
space at Grace took offense to Rohrer’s hiring in Febru- ary 2014 and to the congregation’s welcome of LGBTQ people, said Grace council president Sally Ann Ryan. At one point the rainbow window clings Grace posted to express welcome were removed, she said. As tensions rose, Grace’s
‘A congrega- tion of almost all straight people said that welcome is the most important thing here.’
members concluded “they didn’t want anyone to come to any service in their build- ing where people didn’t feel welcome,” Rohrer said. “A con- gregation of almost all straight people said that welcome is the most important thing here.” Te Presbyterian pastor did not agree. Aſter a 20-year rela-
tionship, the congregations parted ways in December. Te loss of rental income leſt a gaping hole in Grace’s
strapped budget. With Rohrer’s leadership, parishio- ners organized “Grace Under Fire,” a benefit dinner to recognize congregations and individuals that welcomed LGBTQ people even when it meant facing great odds. Te event raised more than $12,000 for Grace’s operat- ing expenses. Under Rohrer’s leadership, the congregation is
trying new ideas for outreach and evangelism, from a Beatles worship service to the imposition of ashes in the
Earlier this year, Caitlyn Jenner’s headline-making inter- view with Barbara Walters and Vanity Fair spread brought transgender issues into the public eye. In this interview, Megan Rohrer, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, San Francisco, offers insight about transgender issues.
The Lutheran: What does it mean to be transgender?
Rohrer: Transgender is an umbrella term that includes a very diverse group of people who understand their gender to be outside of the traditional definitions of male and female. That is as broad as someone who is female and doesn’t want to wear a bra, all the way to someone who has had hormonal changes from male to female.
How many people are transgender?
While there is no accurate count, some say there are 700,000 trans individuals in the U.S. This number is likely low due to fear of violence, lack of family support or health care, and the desire of many trans people to keep their medical choices private. The best practice is to allow trans people the choice to self-identify.
How do I refer to someone who is transgender?
In church, I hope we see everyone simply as a child of God. In conversation, it is best to use the name and the gender or non-gender pronouns (they/their) they prefer.
What about people who say being transgender is a sin?
Thankfully, as Lutherans we believe God’s grace is more impor- tant news than who and how we are sinning. God’s baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch [is a] biblical reminder that God’s love stretches to include all of us.
subway station. Evangelism also expands beyond the congregation’s walls through a weekly online Bible study focusing on issues of justice in the lectionary readings. ELCA pastors Amanda Zentz-Alo and Dawn Roginski collaborate on the project, which reaches between 2,500 and 3,000 people. “It has been so healing to be part of a congrega-
tion that loves you so much,” said Rohrer, reflecting on Grace. Te pastor feels astonished by and grateful for the new ways church and society are welcoming LGBTQ individuals, but also thinks there is more work to be done. “For a long time we didn’t talk about alcoholism
or abuse or cancer. I feel like [being transgender] is like anything difficult that you go through. I hope the way that I serve as a pastor is that it never serves as a barrier or declaration,” Rohrer said. “Any time we can have pastors that embody the diversity of our full creation, our church is better for it.”
Author bio: Strybis is an associate editor of The Lutheran. She attends Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago.
September 2015 35
CHERYL HUMBERT
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