Since he first began exploring issues related to the LGBTI+ community more than two years ago, Buda United Methodist Church Minister Jim Philpott has seen the good and the bad.
There’s been blowback and “a couple of families” who decided they would rather worship somewhere else but there have also been baptisms of the children of same sex parents that didn’t draw “any terrible reaction.”
Mostly, though, his focus has been one of inclusion and support, and that mission is becoming more local now that there is a PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) group set to meet in the Buda area. Though the next meeting is as yet uncertain, “the main thing we’re interested in is getting the word out,” Philpott said, referring those seeking to learn more to https://pflagaustin.org.
“There has not been a PFLAG meeting in the Hays County area at all,” he said. “We know there are families in the community that might want to use this opportunity for their support, and we know there are more people struggling with their sexual identity. We want to let them know what’s going on and where to come.”
As a facilitator within the Buda Reconciling Ministries Network, Philpott has worked with Sunday school classes, the choir and women’s group within his congregation.
“We have parents of gay children and we have gay members and we have slowly but surely worked to educate people … it’s been a process.”
Although PFLAG is not associated with any religious group, meetings are often held in churches, much like Alcoholics Anonymous. “Buda’s Reconciling Ministries Network committee felt like offering a space to the group is one way we could help families get support in their journey and offer affirmation to persons coming to terms with their sexual identity. It has always been the ministry of the church to help those going through difficult times.”
He said one of the things those involved with the LGBTI + community worry about is suicide. “So many of the young people cannot negotiate this journey,” he said, which can lead to alcohol, depression, drugs and in some cases, suicide. “We felt it was the most pastoral, the most caring thing to do was to have a PFLAG meeting.”
The meetings are mainly for support, Philpott says, with no professional counselors on hand. “There’s generally enough wisdom among people to give supportive counseling – it just gives people a chance” to air their issues before receptive individuals.
“A hypothetical case would be a parents who says their child tells them they are gay and they always thought that to be the case, but now they know. They’re struggling with what to do next, with their family, with the community. It gives them a chance to process that.”
Another instance, he said, is someone who is “starting the journey of coming out in some form or fashion. They need support.”
He said PFLAG began as parents and friends of lesbians and gays. “It now includes transgendered people, people that have general sexual identity issues and intersex people.”
