The Unity Fellowship Church Movement…..God is Love and Love is for Everyone…..
There is a church movement afoot in the United States that has hit several states. It is rolling along nicely. It is an open, friendly, non-denominational movement that is Christ–based but very friendly towards people who are Same Gender Loving (SGL) or gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgendered. It was started by a brother in California in the 1980’s named Carl Beam, who is now a Bishop & Presiding Elder in the movement. It is a Black church, but it is open to all types of people. At Unity Fellowship—and there is a chapter in the Philadelphia area to which I am very friendly--having attended service several times—they don’t put people down who don’t fit the mold of a straight Christian White male. But if you are that you can worship there also. It is a spiritually healthy movement because it allows people to be themselves. It is not a gay church, but if you are that, you will feel comfortable there. Their theme is that GOD is love and Love if for everyone…
I haven not made it to their National Convocation as yet, but I hear it is something to behold. People really get a chance to discover and explore their spirituality and the word of GOD in a friendly setting for several days. As soon as I’m financially able, I plan to go to a National Convocation.
My good friend and Pastor, Reverend Jeff Haskins, started the Philadelphia branch with a few good people. It has NOT been easy for them. They have come a long way and made it through several struggles, dry spells and hard times. But they are still going on and doing well. I try to attend when I can. I haven’t actually joined the church, but I would do anything for them.
Some people who call themselves Christians spend a lot of time bad mouthing Unity Fellowship. I say God created SGL people for a reason. Some who sit high and mighty and judge will be the first to experience some of the sting and reality of GOD when the heat is turned up in the kitchen. It may well be that people like the followers of Unity Fellowship are the real chosen people because they are often the left out, the judged, the scorned, the poor and the rejected.
Certainly Unity Fellowship has found peace and acceptance among some of the churches in Philadelphia, but I don’t think this has been an easy road to travel for them. Good roads that lead to good places often are not easy to travel.
I have wanted to help this church find a church home in the West Philadelphia area, but have been unable to do so at this juncture. I will not give up and hope you will understand my insistence and forthrightness in embracing this church and the loving members who have dedicated themselves to it.
Do you know how you attend church and then someone ask you what the sermon was about and you can’t answer the question? Well, recently I attended a service at Unity Fellowship in Philadelphia and they talked about forgiveness and family. Believe me I remembered the message because if was delivered clear and on point, even though the Pastor was not there that day. When I went to visit my elderly Father the next day I asked him to forgive me for not ``living up to his standards and expectations I life’’. He said he had long ago accepted things about me that were different from the general run of the mill Black male living in the United States. I was glad I asked anyway. It was refreshing and empowering to hear my Dad say that.
I plan to adopt children—not to find greater acceptance, but to have a greater legacy when I move on from this place. I am getting a late start at 53, but it is part of my plan in life. Most Black SGL people don’t adopt children. They make it a bit hard to do this and frankly, many of us are too busy with our lives to adopt and don’t have it as a desire or value. But things are changing. I am hoping to use the Unity Fellowship Church Movement as a resource during the adoption, after I adopt and on into the future.
There is a church movement afoot in the United States that has hit several states. It is rolling along nicely. It is an open, friendly, non-denominational movement that is Christ–based but very friendly towards people who are Same Gender Loving (SGL) or gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgendered. It was started by a brother in California in the 1980’s named Carl Beam, who is now a Bishop & Presiding Elder in the movement. It is a Black church, but it is open to all types of people. At Unity Fellowship—and there is a chapter in the Philadelphia area to which I am very friendly--having attended service several times—they don’t put people down who don’t fit the mold of a straight Christian White male. But if you are that you can worship there also. It is a spiritually healthy movement because it allows people to be themselves. It is not a gay church, but if you are that, you will feel comfortable there. Their theme is that GOD is love and Love if for everyone…
I haven not made it to their National Convocation as yet, but I hear it is something to behold. People really get a chance to discover and explore their spirituality and the word of GOD in a friendly setting for several days. As soon as I’m financially able, I plan to go to a National Convocation.
My good friend and Pastor, Reverend Jeff Haskins, started the Philadelphia branch with a few good people. It has NOT been easy for them. They have come a long way and made it through several struggles, dry spells and hard times. But they are still going on and doing well. I try to attend when I can. I haven’t actually joined the church, but I would do anything for them.
Some people who call themselves Christians spend a lot of time bad mouthing Unity Fellowship. I say God created SGL people for a reason. Some who sit high and mighty and judge will be the first to experience some of the sting and reality of GOD when the heat is turned up in the kitchen. It may well be that people like the followers of Unity Fellowship are the real chosen people because they are often the left out, the judged, the scorned, the poor and the rejected.
Certainly Unity Fellowship has found peace and acceptance among some of the churches in Philadelphia, but I don’t think this has been an easy road to travel for them. Good roads that lead to good places often are not easy to travel.
I have wanted to help this church find a church home in the West Philadelphia area, but have been unable to do so at this juncture. I will not give up and hope you will understand my insistence and forthrightness in embracing this church and the loving members who have dedicated themselves to it.
Do you know how you attend church and then someone ask you what the sermon was about and you can’t answer the question? Well, recently I attended a service at Unity Fellowship in Philadelphia and they talked about forgiveness and family. Believe me I remembered the message because if was delivered clear and on point, even though the Pastor was not there that day. When I went to visit my elderly Father the next day I asked him to forgive me for not ``living up to his standards and expectations I life’’. He said he had long ago accepted things about me that were different from the general run of the mill Black male living in the United States. I was glad I asked anyway. It was refreshing and empowering to hear my Dad say that.
I plan to adopt children—not to find greater acceptance, but to have a greater legacy when I move on from this place. I am getting a late start at 53, but it is part of my plan in life. Most Black SGL people don’t adopt children. They make it a bit hard to do this and frankly, many of us are too busy with our lives to adopt and don’t have it as a desire or value. But things are changing. I am hoping to use the Unity Fellowship Church Movement as a resource during the adoption, after I adopt and on into the future.
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