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Post by blakey2930 on Oct 21, 2020 10:39:09 GMT
Hello, I am a Christian living in Redcar (near Middlesbrough). I currently attend Tees Valley Community Church in Eaglescliffe which isn't a LGBT friendly church. Since July, I have been going backwards and forwards between Straight and Gay views of my Sexuality which has been very confusing for both me and my fellow friends and family. I am just about at the stage where it would be helpful for me to have someone ie a counselor etc to talk with 1:1 about my situation and try and get the situation stationary so that I have a happy and unchanging sexuality which can be stable for the rest of my life, even if it means that I turn out to be Gay and a Christian. I look forward to hearing from you. I have already contacted OneBodyOneFaith and OpenTable.
Thank you
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Post by simonjr on Oct 21, 2020 20:08:30 GMT
Hi Blakey2930, Nice to hear from you again but sorry you are still not settled in your mind. Glad you have contacted OneBodyOneFaith and OpenTable. You don't say if you have heard from them back, or that you are still waiting to hear from them? As I mentioned before, I was brought up and spent most of my life in fundamentalist evangelicalism, so I have a detailed understanding of the kinds of dilemmas you are facing. I am slightly unsure exactly what you mean about Straight and Gay views of your sexuality, though. Is it that you think you may be straight or you may be gay and are not sure? Or is it that you try to take the straight Christian view in order to conform to the Church expectations but then your gay feelings surface again and that upsets your resolve to be straight? I have a christian friend who is open about his homosexual orientation but has decided to be celibate in order to remain faithful to the scriptures and not fall out of favour with his church. I also have a gay/bi friend who is a Christian and is not celibate. He had coped over the years by not committing to any particular Church and hides his activities from the Churches he goes to. Whatever path you eventually settle on is up to you. Only you know what you can cope with. There are Metropolitan Community Churches specifically set up for LBGTQ+ people. Looks like your nearest one is in Newcastle, though. Bit of a journey if you were ever to visit (Covid permitting). It's basically a United Reformed Church - you might like to check them out at www.northernlightsmcc.org.uk Maybe there would be someone there able and willing to counsel you. They do have pastoral care available, it says, or they may know of suitable Christian counselling services. Hope this helps in some way. Please let me us know how you get on. Best wishes Simon. |
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