BPNews.net – by Erin Roach
Nashville, Tenn. (BP)–Leaders in the United Methodist Church apparently have no problem with a transgender pastor leading one of their congregations, and in fact, they applauded the pastor’s bravery in charting new territory within the denomination.
About a year ago, the female pastor of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Baltimore changed her name from Ann Gordon to Drew Phoenix, had a sex change operation and proceeded with hormone treatments. On May 25, Phoenix was reappointed to another term as pastor of the congregation.
“The gender I was assigned at birth has never matched my own true authentic God-given gender identity, how I know myself,” Phoenix, 48, said, according to The Baltimore Sun. “Fortunately today God’s gift of medical science is enabling me to bring my physical body in alignment with my true gender.”