October is LGBT History Month, and this article is the last in a series featuring the contributions of some special St. Stephen’s leaders, LGBT and straight allies, whose contributions and leadership we celebrate. This week Jason Martin reflects on the ministry of St. Stephen’s pastor, Rev. Amy E. Venable.

Reflections on Amy Venable’s Ministry

Amy Venable may have only come to St Stephen’s in June 2007, but the amount of support and advocacy that she has demonstrated to the LGBTQ community – within the walls of St Stephen’s, and throughout Norman – has been far reaching and impressive! Shortly after her appointment, Amy helped plan and facilitate a year long process of discussion and dialogue that moved St. Stephen’s to join the Reconciling Ministries Network and become an official Reconciling Church. She currently serves on the Clergy Advisory Board for the RMN and in August attended her second national Convocation, Sing a New Song, which was held in Huron, Ohio. Active in our community, Amy has served three years on the Mayor’s Social and Voluntary Services Commission and has been a member of the PFLAG Board.

Amy has been there for multiple AIDS walks, OKC Pride parades, Reconciling Ministries meetings, and training sessions. There’s a reason that Amy is asked to be on panels focusing on the church and LGBT issues and participate in group discussions at OU and other state schools – people respect her! She represents an inclusive “theology of welcome” and a progressive understanding of the biblical story. Merely showing up as a female clergyperson pushes people to change and re-shape their views of a transformed society. Over the centuries as cultural ideology and theology have changed about African-Americans, women and other overlooked groups of people, our denomination has made great strides in some areas. However, there are still some deeply entrenched ways of viewing gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of our faith community that we hope will change. Our church is only one of two United Methodist churches in Oklahoma to change their mission statement to be more inclusive, more progressive, and more open to showing God’s love to all of the people that walk through its front doors, and we know there is work to be done.

Amy and other St. Stephen’s members spoke out at the Norman City Council meeting last fall, supporting the Council proclamation making October 2010 GLBT History Month, confronting intolerance and risking backlash from many places. Her enthusiasm to tell others and show by example that she believes all people are deserving of God’s mercy, grace and love, and how it is not limited to their sexuality, is evident by the emotion and time she spends in being there for people in need, myself included.

We appreciate the work that Amy Venable has done in the past, is doing currently, and will do in the future, to advocate for and nurture our theological, spiritual, personal, and emotional freedom. She has touched so many, and I personally attest that she will never know all that she has done for the people of St. Stephen’s UMC. From the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate and give thanks for the love, compassion and encouragement that you have shown during your time here.

Jason Martin