Leesburg Presbyterian Church

CONTACT

https://www.lpcva.com/

office@lpcva.com

JOINED

June 3, 2025

INDUSTRY

Faith

BADGES

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DESCRIPTION

Leesburg Presbyterian Church is a community of faith, sharing in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit. As God’s people in an ever-changing world, we believe God is calling us to be a vibrant congregation of children, youth, and adults where we, foster a sense of deep belonging to God and to each other, embrace people at different stages of their faith journey and together we seek to deepen our understanding of the Christian faith and invite and embrace ALL to experience God’s transforming presence in our midst.

General Survey

Question: What percent of your organization identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community?

Answer: Not known

Question: What are your policies on LGBTQ+ trainings?

Answer: Some are required to have LGBTQ-specific training, but not all.

Question: How often do you require or recommend LGBTQ+ inclusive training?

Answer: Once per person

Question: Which best describes your current policies and procedures for your LGBTQ+ staff?

Answer: We have a general anti-discrimination clause that covers LGBTQ and other marginalized groups.

Question: Which best describes your current policies and procedures for your LGBTQ+ clients?

Answer: We have used references from LGBTQ+ organizations to build our policies and procedures.

Question: How do you create a positive space for the LGBTQ+ community?

Answer: We have year-round shows of support that are specifically affirming or positive for the LGBTQ+ community.

Place of Worship Survey

Question: Please list the title or denomination that best suits your place of worship.

Answer: Presbyterian Church (USA)

Question: How long has your congregation been LGBTQ+ friendly?

Answer: Following decisions by the larger denomination in 2014 and 2015, shortly thereafter Leesburg Presbyterian Church’s session adopted an explicit policy to affirm and celebrate LGBTQIA+ marriage. Since then, our congregation has grown in both its interest, intent and action to reflect the PCUSA’s stated inclusion and equity stance (see answer to question below) as we seek to affirm and embrace our LGBTQIA+ neighbors, friends, family members and siblings in faith. We seek to make our welcome, affirmation and embrace visible year-round through symbols, resources on display in public/office spaces and in action.

Question: Please describe ways in which you ensure that queer individuals, couples, and families are made to feel welcomed in your space.

Answer: At LPC: - We use signs (all gender bathrooms), symbols and printed resources to allow all to feel welcome, including in our pastor’s office, signs. - We welcome each person who enters our building, regardless of their identity. - We talk about God in non-gendered language, or, at times. as both like a Mother and a Father. - We welcome anyone to join traditionally gendered groups and activities within the church that best align with their identity and we seek to create inclusive language around each of our activities and ministries. - The “Rainbow Group” is comprised of LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies meets for mutual support, fellowship, and advocacy. The Rainbow Group has attended Equality Loudoun workshops held at Leesburg United Methodist Church with the interest of nurturing our church’s capacity to ensure safety, welcome and embrace of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Rainbow Group has advocated for the LGBTQIA community by ensuring that our welcoming stance is noted on our website, arranging educational opportunities for the larger congregation, and enrolling as participants at this year’s Loudoun Pride

Question: Please indicate which of the following are TRUE for your place of worship:

Answer: We prohibit anti-queer messaging or scripture to be taught., We accept queer individuals as members of our place of worship., We have intervened in support of a queer individual on behalf of our faith., We perform same-sex marriages., We allow queer people to serve in leadership in our place of worship., We perform marriages involving transgender individuals., We accept queer people to serve as mentors or godparents., We accept and support queer parents (whether through adoption or biological means)., We accept and support queer youth and affirm their place in our place of worship., We support transgender children seeking transition-related healthcare.

Question: What are examples of your queer-inclusive policies?

Answer: https://www.lpcva.com/lgbtqia-ministry

Question: Please select all that would apply to your Youth Program.

Discuss families other than hetero normative make-ups., Allows LGBTQ+ youth or young adults to serve in leadership.

Question: Which queer organizations have you worked with, donated to, or supported- now or in the past?

Answer: Trevor Project, Loudoun Pride, More Light Presbyterians

Question: Please describe your faith’s view of same-sex relationships:

Answer: In 2014, the General Assembly passed a measure that permits ministers and sessions (local church government), “to use their own discernment to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies where allowed by law.” In addition, the General Assembly recommended an amendment to update the description of marriage in the denomination’s Book of Order so that it would no longer exclude same-sex couples. Effective June 2015, the amendment to the Book of Order updates the description of marriage as “a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman.” The latter was added during debate of the amendment on the floor of the General Assembly out of respect to the denomination’s more conservative members. In 2018, “the 223rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to affirm its commitment to the full welcome, acceptance, and inclusion of transgender people, people who identify as gender non-binary, and people of all gender identities within the full life of the church and the world. The added that “The assembly affirms the church’s obligation to stand for the right of people of all gender identities to live free from discrimination, violence, and every form of injustice.” It went further to lament "the ways that the policies and actions of the PC(USA) have caused gifted, faithful, LGBTQIA+ Christians to leave the Presbyterian church so that they could find a more welcoming place to serve, as they have been gifted and called by the Spirit. https://pcusa.org/ and https://www.hrc.org/resources/stances-of-faiths-on-lgbt-issues-presbyterian-church-usa

Question: Does your congregation believe that being queer is an immutable characteristic imbued by God or are they influenced, changed, or chosen based on man-made behaviors, decisions, and beliefs? Please explain:

Answer: Our congregation (as represented by our pastor and board of elders) believes that being queer is an immutable characteristic, not chosen nor changed by human decision, “intervention,” willful choice or beliefs.