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(New Haven, Connecticut) Sporting an earring, a tattoo of a cross on his arm and a
rainbow garment, the Rev. John MacIver Gage does not look like the typical
pastor. But that's OK at a church the FBI once bugged.
Gage, who is openly gay, will be installed Sunday as senior minister of the
United Church on the Green in New Haven.
While other Christian denominations have been torn apart over gay rights,
Gage's sexual orientation has generated little, if any, controversy.
"This church would love for me to find a nice man and settle down and host
my wedding," Gage says.
As long as he doesn't get too conventional.
The church has been in the vanguard of social issues since the days when the
congregation hired the first attorney to help the Amistad slaves win freedom in
the 19th century. The FBI wiretapped the church during the early 1970s when the
congregation was protesting the Vietnam War and opening its doors to protesters
upset over a Black Panthers trial, members say.
The church is part of the United Church of Christ, which became the first major
Christian church to ordain an openly gay minister in the early 1970s and 20
years ago declared itself to be "open and affirming" of gays and
lesbians.
"I didn't come and change this church," Gage said during an interview
Thursday. "They came and they opened their doors and changed me. They
provided an opportunity to come into ministry."
But the journey wasn't easy for Gage, who has vivid memories of the lengthy
questioning he underwent in Texas before he was ordained in 2000 on a vote of
26-16. A few churches threatened to leave if he was ordained, he said.
Gage, who is 36, had his own doubts at one time.
"Growing up gay in this society you're just told every single day in so
many ways you're less than," Gage said. "I spent years internalizing
that feeling of being unworthy. That crept into my faith."
But with strong support from his parents, Gage said he came to realize while in
the seminary that God did accept him.
"This installation is part of that ongoing experience of grace," Gage
said. "That experience of growing up and feeling so marginalized I hope has
made me sensitive to the many ways our society marginalizes all kinds of
folks."
Supporters say Gage has reached out to include everyone.
"I think he's wonderful," said Roger Adams, a church member who served
on the search committee that recommended Gage. "He has lively and
thoughtful and innovative sermons. And he reaches out and welcomes people of all
kinds, no matter who they are or whether they're strong believers or have
doubts."
And if he slips up, this congregation will let him know. When Gage was appointed
associate pastor in New Haven in 2000, the only dissenter was upset over his use
of "Father, son and holy spirit," instead of the less patriarchal
"Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit."
Gays and lesbians make up about 12 percent of the church's nearly 200 members.
Gage uses the word "marriage" when he performs same-sex ceremonies in
a state that only recognizes civil unions for gay couples. He sparked a few
protests when he lamented the election of President Bush in 2004 from the
pulpit.
"We are not called to shy away from controversy," Gage said.
"That is certainly not the model we have in Jesus."
When he is appointed Sunday, Gage said he plans to give a sermon titled,
"Getting Over Ourselves." He'll pick out "blooper material"
from the Gospels when the disciples stumbled.
"When they fell, if they didn't have the courage to pick themselves up,
dust themselves off and try again to follow Jesus, none of us would be
here," Gage said. "We have to do the same thing."
©365Gay.com 2006
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