Resources that support the unconditional welcome of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & their families in the church home of their choice.
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Resources that support the unconditional welcome of people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & their families in the church home of their choice. | |
By KRISTIN BUEHNER, Of The Globe Gazette
April 26, 2005
CHARLES CITY — Renee and Mayetta Usher believe they may have found a new church.
The Ushers of Charles City have experienced problems of acceptance at the churches they were attending, most recently Messiah Lutheran Church.
Sunday, they received a call from Bob Durrwachter, head of trustees at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a small Charles City church. The church is currently without a permanent minister.
"We thought it was the right thing to do," Durrwachter said Monday. "We felt obligated to respond."
Durrwachter invited the Ushers to worship at the church and to attend an adult Bible study group Sunday evening, he said. "We certainly appreciated them showing up. We had a good discussion."
As luck would have it, the topic of the Bible study was Romans 14: about not judging one another, Durrwachter said.
Renee Usher, 61, a transgender female, said the telephone call was welcome.
"It made us feel really elated when they called and invited us to their church," she said.
Formerly Michael Usher, Renee underwent a legal name and gender change 10 years ago. The transsexual surgery has yet to be performed, and Renee is hopeful she will have it someday.
Durrwachter said Renee asked the women at the Bible study if they would mind if he used the women's rest room. This has been a sore spot at Messiah and other public places in town.
"They (women) said they'd have no problem with it," Durrwachter said.
Virgil Severin, a 35-year member of First Christian Church, was among the church members attending the Bible study Sunday.
"I would be very happy" if the Ushers joined the church, he said. "It wouldn't bother me a bit. As far as I know, everybody is open to it."
A veteran of the Vietnam War, Renee Usher intended to have surgery at the Veterans Administration hospital in Iowa City years ago. But he said the federal Veterans Administration decided against providing the surgery, saying only that it was "experimental and risky," Renee said.
Renee and Mayetta, 56, have been married 40 years. Ten years ago, Renee came out as a female, with Mayetta's approval.They are the parents of three grown children, including Michelle of Des Moines, and Mary of Charles City. A son, Mark, died four years ago at the age of 31 in an apparent suicide, Renee said.
The couple have five grandchildren. Her daughters and grandchildren have been accepting of her, Renee said.
"They know me as Renee and that's how it is."
Reach Kristin Buehner at 421-0533 or kristin.buehner@globegazette.com.
Copyright © 2005, Globe Gazette
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