Welcoming & Affirming Spiritual Care
Over the years, TCP has fielded many questions about resources in support of queer spirituality and safe & affirming places of worship.
We know that the subject of faith and spirituality can be very sensitive, particularly for LGBTQIA+ people. We hear the experiences of many people in our community who have been deeply harmed by their experiences with faith and religion. We recognize, respect, and honor the pain and trauma experienced by many queer people. We also hear questions about a spirituality that celebrates and lifts up queer love, joy, compassion, and mystery, those things of wonder and awe.
We honor each person’s individual journey, experiences, and needs regarding faith & spiritual care. TCP is working with an emerging community-based network whose goal is to provide connection to community resources and events that are safe, open & affirming, and support spiritual care for the non-religious, religious, and those who simply want to join in a space that explores queer spirituality.
Please email us at spiritualcare@thecenterproject.org anytime with ideas and feedback as this process continues to emerge.
A little background
In September of 2023, TCP welcomed our first Spiritual Care Intern, Kimberly Fielding, as she sought a contextual education placement for her Master of Divinity work. Her learning goals were to move towards a co-vocational career as both a licensed clinical social worker and a community chaplain. And so, a dual mission within TCP began: participate with the state of TCP’s monthly Caregiver Support Group, and explore queer spirituality.
Kimberly began conducting interviews with board members, program coordinators, volunteers, and community members, to understand more about the experiences & needs of folks in TCP’s wider community, and began to build out a list of known resources and faith communities. She then met with spiritual care leaders in the community to share ideas and start forming interconnections. This process is on-going, and a network is emerging in the Columbia area.
Kimberly Fielding (she/her)
Moving forward
The conversation about Spiritual Care at TCP began with questions, and we are listening to the response. We are currently in the Emerging Network stage, and with collaborative effort between TCP and spiritual care leaders in the community, we’ll continue to hold the space for conversation about queer spirituality. We recognize the tension between deeply negative / traumatizing religious experiences, and the celebration of joy, hope, and peace that is present for some.
TCP hopes to be a hub of information & connection for resources, events, and spaces that might be of interest for LGBTQIA+ people seeking spiritual care. If you have any updates, events, resources, referrals, etc. or any questions, please reach out to spiritualcare@thecenterproject.org. This is a community-led venture.
Please check out our curated list of Places of Worship / Faith Communities.
These are all places that have been in conversation with TCP about safe & affirming spiritual care.
