‘Brokeback Mountain collector’s edition
page 31
Jamie Anderson in Columbia
page 18
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Who is today^s MLK?
page 24
Noted . Notable . Noteworthy. LGBT News & Views
Volume 21 .Number 19 www.q-notes.Gom January 27.2007
Black, gay and Christian: the importance of the
church in LGBT communities of color
Q-Notes looks at three
congregations across N.C.
by Donald Miller
Unity Fellowship’s Rev. Elder
Tonia Rawls.
Oftentimes religious
devotion and commitment to
human equality across the
board are not concepts that
easily walk hand in hand —
thus many gays and lesbians
find themselves turning away
from Christianity.
There are others in the
LGBT community, however,
that have reconciled their
sexual orientation with their
faith. Some denominations of
Christianity, including The
United Church of Christ, The
Metropolitan Community
Church, Unity Fellowship and
many other independent
churches that identify as a
variety of denominations,
ranging from Methodist and Presbyterian to
Lutheran and even Baptist openly accept —
even embrace — gays and lesbians as mem
bers and clergy.
Nowhere is that spirit of belief and support
- more evident than in the churches that serve
predominantly LGBT communities’of color.
For many, if not most of the African-
American LGBT community, the ties to the
church today are as strong as they were for the
generations that came before them.
“It’s a concept that goes back to the days of
slavery!’ says Rev. Wanda Floyd, the pastor of
Imani MCC in Durham. “God is all we ever
had, so I think it’s sort of ingrained in our
blood. The history of being spiritual beings
have seen us though so much — slavery,
oppression, the fight for civil rights. The
church has always been a backbone to the
African-American community. I think it
would be too difficult to turn away from
something you had spent your lifetime in, just
because some people in the faith don’t share
the belief that God creates us as we are.”
Rev. Roger Hayes, the pastor of Church of
the Holy Spirit Fellowship in Winstson-Salem,
concurs with Floyd’s assessment.
“Our need and quest for solace and peace
initially came about in the midst of lots of
oppression. Blacks turned to the church for
♦ * « * IV . .. ,-.K ■ ,
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Spiritual merriment at Unity Fellowship.
hope at a time when there was none. The mes
sage is there in the African-American hymns,
the Negro spiritual — if you will — centered
around a future of hope in gospel songs like
‘This World Is Not My Home.’ That root runs
very deep in our community. The root of faith
is not a shallow root — so it’s something that’s
very hard to let go of?’
“I think for us, church is community?’says
Rev. Elder Tonyia Rawls of the Unity
Fellowship Church in Charlotte. “For many "
people of African descent — that’s where they
gained their core of strength.”
Rawls moved to Charlotte from
Washington, D.C. in 2000 to found Unity
Fellowship, which today boasts a member
ship around 260.
She’s acutely aware pf the challenges gays
and lesbians often face when coming to terms
with their sexual orientation while attempting
to maintain the spiritual life they’ve grown
accustomed to.
For a time Rawls lived in California, where
she attended church while living life deep in
the closet. “At that time I lead an abstinent life,”
says Rawls. “I felt I couldn’t be a same gender
loving woman and serve God. What made me
change my mind was I almost got married
to an elder in the church. This
man came to me and said he felt that I was
supposed to be his wife, so at first I thought
this was something I was supposed to do —
but I knew I was not straight! I went to God
very angry — I said You don’t love me how
could you do this to me?’ God spoke to me and
told me that he did, in fact, love me as 1 am. So
I called off the wedding and moved to D.C. I
began a journey — seeking God in prayer and
I realized God ddn’t make a mistake. Shortly
thereafter I found Unity and for the first time I
heard gay and good — at the same time.
Unity is predominantly African-American
and LGBT, with an ever growing number of
heterosexuals and non-blacks.
The church is very active in both the LGBT
community and the greater Charlotte commu
nity at large with performances by the Unity
Fellowship Choir and a Drum Corp for youth
ages 4-18.
Rawls is exuberant about the level of
involvement from church-goers. “We ask them
to tithe — but we also ask them to offer their
time and talent. People are writing, dancing,
singing and miming. We’ve been in the MLK
parade for five years. There’s a lot of talent here.”
see church on 14
Charlotte Community Center
faces uncertain future
The Lesbian & Gay
Community Center
«■
Debt, lack of donations and stajf
overturn take mounting toll
by David Moore . Q-Notes staff
CHARLOTTE
Q-Notes reported
last issue that
the Charlotte
Lesbian and Gay
Community
Center is fight
ing an uphill
battle to sur
vive. Since that
article, amidst
reports of
employee turmoil. Center manager Linda Davis
has been laid off and Executive Director Laura
Witkowski has submitted her resignation.
“It is with enormous amounts of sad
ness and regret that I submit my letter of
resignation as executive director of The
Lesbian and Gay Community Center effec
tive Feb. 1,2007,” Witkowski wrote in a let
ter to Center Board President Joe Campos,
dated Jan. 9.
“To the community,” Witkowski contin
ued, “do not take The Center for granted
any longer. This is an organization in it’s
infancy in many ways... it often feels like
this community is thrilled The Center
Siice exists, but that many don’t feel
the need to support it because they don’t
feel they ‘need’ it. To those-who don’t feel
they need The Center, I ask you: how many
non-profit social service organizations
would cease to exist if only the popula
tion they served supported them?”
According to Campos, the situa
tion at The Center has improved
somewhat since Q-Notes last cov
ered the issue. With staff cutbacks
impacting operations costs and vol
unteers keeping The Center open,
little may seem to have changed to
the general public. “Things are bet
ter,” says Campos. “We are moving in
see future on 5
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Providence High School staff
sprays over GSA’s rainbow rock.
See Editor’s note, page 4.