Church Puts on Sacred ‘New Name, New Pronoun’ Ceremony for Trans Congregants

Staff Writer

Inclusive Gathering Birmingham is a “diverse, justice-seeking, LGBTQIA+ affirming church for ALL based in Brum’s Gay Village.” According to their website, The Methodist Church in the UK financially supports them, and their commitment is to “work toward radical inclusion to create and cultivate a space where everyone is truly welcomed, affirmed and celebrated in their race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, ability, disability, and neurodiversity.”

We last wrote about them after they put on a Dolly Parton-themed church service based on her life, music, values, and spirituality, where congregants and guests were encouraged to wear “wigs and rhinestones,” and where there was a special music act featuring local drag artists Ibi Profane and Raphael Hoe following the service.

During Sunday service a couple of years ago, Inclusive Gathering held a “naming service” to celebrate the transgender youth in their congregation.

After preaching on all the times that people’s names changed in the bible (Abram to Abraham, Paul to Saul), they linked these events to all They/Them folk picking up new names and new pronouns, holding a sacred celebration for the event where their deadnames and deadpronouns were buried, and their new names and new pronouns were raised to life.