It IS the Lord's day after all...

Hola, Poppers! I hope everyone's having a great day! Last night I attended the 4th of July Week Kick-off Fundraiser for Step-Up at Cosmos. It was a great time and I'll have some photos to share with all of you tomorrow. Two snaps and hugs & kisses to all the performers: Cadillac Barbie, Holly Luyah, Donna Rhea, Portia Lynn Van Buren, Ricki Summers, and Jillian James. I'll let you know exactly how much was raised for Step-Up by tomorrow.

I had a dream last night of my old church. It may surprise some of my Poppers to know that yours truly was, in another time, at another place, involved in the ministry. I grew up in the Church of God ~ a non-denominational church based in Anderson, IN. It has a world-wide membership and boasts well-known Christian entertainers such as Bill & Gloria Gaither and Sandi Patty as its proponents.

In my 20s, I was involved with the Wesleyan Church which has its international hedquarters right here in Indy. As a member of the ministry team for my church, I was responsible for enhancing the religious experience of everyone from the infants & toddlers all the way up to the senior citizens.

As a young, married youth pastor/praise team member/featured soloist/choir member, I lived with the fear that any day my deepest thoughts, feelings and emotions would come roiling to the surface and cause my outing. I remember sobbing and sweating at the altar begging God to take away the feelings, attractions and temptations I felt and faced every day; all of which I was convinced (by others) were wrong and reason for my banishment to hell. After 10 years of faithful service through music, ministry and giving, I finally gave up. My feelings weren't going away and after 8 years of marriage, I came out as a homosexual.

As expected, the news caused a tizzy in my church as well as my eventual "excommunication" via group cold shoulder. Since moving to Indy in 1990, the church had been my life & my family. I was faced with the daunting prospect of starting all over again in what was, in essence, a new world. I had to make new friends, establish new relationships, learn a new language and understand a new culture...at the ripe old age of 31!!

Long story short (perhaps too late), I've finally come into my own in my new world. Detractors will say the gay community in Indy has a reputation for not being the most welcoming group. In its defense I will say however, that if you step out of your corner and extend yourself to actually meet some new people, your efforts WILL pay off. It's worked for me.

The gay world in Indy really isn't all that different from life in a mega-church. You have your teens (IYG); your men's ministries (501); your music ministries (Indy Men's Chorus/Indy Women's Chorus/Pride of Indy Band); and your women's charities group (the Bag Ladies).

A couple of times a week, we all put on our best Sunday (Friday/Saturday) attire, wash behind our ears and get our hurr did (or douche) and prance ourselves down to church (Greg's/Talbott Street/Club Indy) to commune/worship/socialize with others of a like mind in a safe, welcoming place (even if it's a dark corner or a steam room).

Throughout the year we have fundraising events to help out the local charities and care-giving organizations which warms our hearts and reminds us that we are in fact, a community that cares about each other...even if we don't all know each other on a first name basis.

Poppers, as evidenced by the numerous benefits held almost monthly, the gay community in Indy does care about and for its own. There are sooo many opportunities for involvement. There are sooo many ways for you to give back. There are sooo many ways for you to enhance the life experience for someone else, and in turn yourself.

How are you going to get involved?

*kiss kiss*

Halle