Anonymous (Gay pastor in the Independent Christian Church, Indianapolis IN)

ANONYMOUS
A GAY ASSOCIATE PASTOR
INDEPENDENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Indianapolis, Indiana

On December 31, 1978 at an Urbana Missions Conference I distinctly heard God calling me to fulltime urban ministry.  I began this ministry in 1981 at an urban church on the near east side of Indianapolis, the neighborhood I grew up in.  This was an area of high crime and prostitution.  Our church was located in the the very center of all the action.  I began my ministry by working with the youth in the neighborhood and the nearby urban high school.  By the end of the second year, I began to fill the role of Associate Pastor.  I stayed in this position for nine years.  All through this time, I felt a deep sorrow in my heart.  I could not understand how God could love and reject me at the same time.   I felt desires for men, which were, supposedly, condemned in the Scriptures.  Finally, after many tearful prayers to God I left my ministry to pursue a career in Education.  I left my job, I felt, as a failure to God and his kingdom.

I am now healing and experiencing the love of Christ unconditionally.

This stole, which I received at an interfaith conference in Indianapolis, is as of this writing the only stole in the collection representing a member of the Independent Christian Church.

Martha Juillerat
Founder, Shower of Stoles Project
2006