Submitted by Yami Lares, Admin Assistant and Communications Coordinator, Centenary UMC
On November 10, 2024, the atmosphere was one of joy and celebration as Centenary United Methodist Church came to the end of a decades long journey. We as a church, had voted to join the United Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network, to publicly declare that all are welcome who come through our doors. The old Methodist doctrines against homosexuality are no longer officially part of Centenary’s DNA. We rejoiced in this milestone with a special worship service, balloons, and a delicious Centenary potluck.
In the early 1990s, Centenary began exploring the possibility of becoming a reconciling congregation. It was a very different time for the gay and lesbian community. Most were closeted, afraid of being ostracized, and struggling to hide their true selves. Society was not open or accepting to homosexuality.
Under the leadership of Rev. Grant Hagiya (who is currently the president of the Claremont School of Theology and retired Bishop of the United Methodist Church) and Rev. Dave Nieda, an educational series began. The first session was a panel of gay and lesbian community members and parents who shared their personal struggles, their encounters as they explored who they really were. Back in the 90’s, this type of panel was uncommon. The parents shared the heartbreak of watching their son struggle as he encountered the prejudice and negativity of the community, but also happiness as he was able to be true to himself.
In the 1990s, Conversion Therapy was a popular practice for those who viewed homosexuality as a choice. Because it was a choice, people’s sexual orientation could be changed. This theory was explored in another session with the guest speaker outlining the process. Almost thirty years later, Rev. Danny Cortez, a Southern Baptist Minister, was invited to talk about the destructiveness of this therapy that often led to depression and suicide.
After a series of a few more speakers, the Centenary congregation reflected the societal views at the time – they ranged from those who believed the statement in the Book of Discipline that homosexuality was incompatible with Christian teaching to those who were fully accepting of people for who they were. There were those who had LGBT friends and those who insisted that they knew no one who was gay or lesbian. This was the beginning of the conversation that would continue for decades.
During the ensuing years, Centenary continued to host panels and speakers, to educate the congregation on LBGTQ issues, always putting a human face on the struggles of the community and its people.
Prior to co-founding Okaeri, Marsha Aizumi and her son shared their story of the transition to Aiden and the struggles of identity and the hard choices he had to make. With the support of family and friends, he was able to become his true self.
Centenary has hosted several Okaeri events over the years. Telling their stories, panelists spoke of the struggle for acceptance, the façade they had to maintain, the bullying and negativity they encountered, and the relief and joy in accepting who they were and finding support from family, friends, and
the community.
Rev. Danny Cortez, talked about his journey as a Southern Baptist Minister with a very negative view on homosexuality to a vocal advocate for the gay community. It was a journey of awakening as he met and interacted with a gay couple, neighbors of one of his congregation members. The couple invited Rev. Cortez to visit HIV clinics, bars, and meet their friends. He met good people. He was changed by these encounters; he began to understand the heartache of the community. From these encounters, Rev. Cortez founded Estuary Place, a place of love and acceptance.
After the Covid years, Centenary’s Reconciling Task Force resumed special worship events, workshops and town halls to both educate and to evaluate where Centenary was as a congregation. Society is in a very different place in regard to the LGBTQIA+ community than when Centenary started its journey some thirty years ago. Changes were also made in world-wide United Methodist Church (UMC) last year to remove restrictive language in its Book of Discipline, allowing LGBTQIA+ individuals to be ordained as clergy and have same-sex marriages performed by UMC clergy. The multi-decade work of Centenary’s Reconciling Task Force can finally see the long sought Reconciling banner hung outside of the church, welcoming all to worship at Centenary. As a Reconciling Church, Centenary agrees to accept the Reconciling Ministries Foundational Statement:
“We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made
possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome
and affirm people of every gender identity, gender express, and sexual
orientation who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental
ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic
immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We
acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and
political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the
pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are
marginalized and oppressed.”
About Centenary UMC: We are a multi-generational community seeking Christ together. We are a vibrant community in the heart of Little Tokyo committed to celebrating faith and serving our neighbors.
Centenary’s Mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world—rooted in love, shaped by Japanese American heritage, and committed to justice and compassion in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Our mission is to empower each other in Christ’s love, impacting our community one heart at a time.
