We all know a little something about choosing our family. Marriage, partnership, adoption, fostering…there are many ways we make choices to shape our family! The LGBTQ+ community is especially familiar with the idea of a “chosen family” and has been throughout the ages. Being and coming out as queer, gay, transgender, gender expansive can be a difficult road, and not all friends and family come along on the journey.

Many folks in the LGBTQ+ community experience rejection or disapproval from their family of origin and friends. While this is a painful reality, it’s exactly why we take the opportunity to honor and celebrate our chosen family each year.

Everyone deserves a family network to love and support them. Whatever your family structure looks like, you are welcome in this family of faith. A family that calls you by your name, celebrates who you love, and rejoices in the fullness of who you are.

Together we’ll honor the sacred relationships of our chosen families with worship on Sunday, May 14th!

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We’ll hear two stories about chosen family from Baltimore LGBTQ leaders, Tamara Jones (she/her/hers) and Lee Blinder (they/them).

Tamar Jones (she/her/hers) is the housing manager at Baltimore Safe Haven. She is a black, trans and nonbinary, and has a wife and three beautiful children. She is the Executive Director and founder of her own organization, which will be launching at the end of May: Out of Harm’s Way Foundation

Lee Blinder (they/them) is the executive director of Trans Maryland, and a co-founder of the Maryland Trans Resilience Conference. Lee is the policy chair of the Maryland Commission LGBTQ+ Affairs, and they sit on LGBTQIA+ advisory boards around the state. They are an openly nonbinary transgender and queer Marylander. They facilitate transgender 101 and gender affirming workplace training for government entities, medical organizations, and private companies, in addition to leading Trans Maryland's peer to peer name and gender marker change program. Mx. Blinder is also a member of the Maryland Judiciary's LGBTQ+ workgroup. They have worked in service to their community for 26 years, starting with helping launch a GSA at Montgomery Blair High School in 1996. They also enjoy spending time with their adopted animal companions, their cat Basil Pasta Marinara and their dog Cupcake.

Second Sunday Worship

Sunday, May 14, 2023

The Great Hall at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

1900 St. Paul Street

4pm