Faithfully Queer (and Allied): Jayson Bradley

This Fall we’ll host several speakers to our sanctuary to share with our community (and congregation) about their own faith journey towards loving all people, especially LGBTQIA+. Each event is 6:30-8pm.

How can one have faith, hold to their faith tradition (including to the Bible), AND be queer or actively support queer folx? The Faithfully Queer (and Allied) speaker series seeks to address this question. Each guest will share some of their story, intertwined with how and why they continue in their faith.

Sept 25: Jayson Bradley 

For the last 20+ years, Jayson's been a pastor, worship leader, and church planter. Now he writes about ministry and Christian engagement. When he's not writing for his blog, MinistryAdvice.com, Patheos, or RELEVANT magazine, he's working with the team at Overthink Group to create successful content strategies for clients interested in faith-based marketing. Jayson thoughtful shares how he became an LGBTQ+ ally (and then got kicked out of church).

Oct 7: Jennifer Knapp 

Highly acclaimed for her contributions to the Christian Contemporary Music genre, Jennifer Knapp rocked religious conservatives with a very public “coming out” in 2010 through interviews with The Advocate, Reuters, Christianity Today and an appearance on Larry King LIVE. In doing so, she experienced firsthand the devastating effects religious prejudice has on the LGBTQ community and recognized something needed to change to turn the tide. In an effort to encourage constructive and uplifting dialogue in matters of LGBTQ faith, Jennifer established and now speaks and performs on behalf of the Inside Out Faith Foundation. An IOF event with Jennifer Knapp is part concert, part storytelling, part speaking and part audience interaction. Through her passionate music and disarming charm, she speaks of the challenges she and many others face in claiming their unique identity as LGBTQ people of faith. (Location is at the Lincoln Theater in Mt Vernon, 712 S 1st St.)

Oct 18: Tony Brown 

Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Port Townsend, Tony Brown has experienced a solid share of church trauma. Having undergone conversion therapy in his adolescence to get rid of the gay, Tony has come out on the other side, happily married to a man, and serving in the church. He has an incredible story of faith and tenacity.  

November 4: our very own Xade Grant! 

Xade will put on a concert to close out this series. He is a singer, songwriter and pianist who has performed throughout the Pacific Northwest as well as parts of the UK and Europe. Xade plays anything from worship to familiar contemporary songs and songs he wrote himself. His style has been likened to Elton John, Billy Joel and Michael W. Smith. Filled with abundant passion as he performs, it is his heartfelt desire to bring encouragement, joy and happiness to all who come to hear him perform. He resides in the Skagit Valley of Washington with his lifelong partner.