Reverend Dámaris E. Orgeta

THE REVEREND DÁMARIS E. ORTEGA<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

United <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Church of Christ

New York, NY

I thank God for making me as I am. I thank God for calling me to serve the church as I am. I thank God that The Spirit called me to freedom and to be a witness of God’s diverse creation!

Following my passion for ministry and service in the church that nurtured my growth and development as a young Christian, I was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico in 1995. After experiencing the bias and open discrimination of the Puerto Rican church, approving a resolution to ban openly gay and lesbian people to serve as pastors, I left without any hope in coming out and affirming my sexual orientation.

Giving up this stole to be added to the collection of the Shower of Stoles Project marks the end of that hopeless period in my journey. In the United Church of Christ I have experienced God’s extravagant welcome, offering not only hope to my life, but the vision, courage and passion to my spiritual journey and ministry.

This stole was given to me during a meeting of the Bishops & Elders Council in Sarasota, FL in September, 2007.