In the midst of the recent Supreme Court decision about same-sex marriage, the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) community has been at the forefront of conversation.

One Virginia pastor, the Rev. Lyndon Sayers of Good Shepherd Lutheran, Lexington, was honored with the Pathfinder Award by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance for his continued outreach to this community.
Pastor Lyndon Sayers (left) is pictured during the award ceremony with Col. Bill Grace, Title IX coordinator at VMI, also an award winner, and Judy Casteele executive director of Project Horizon and member of Good Shepherd.

The Pathfinder award is part of the Catalyst Awards series which encompass superior work across eight different categories and apply to program staff, community leaders, volunteers, and allied professionals. Sayers was chosen for his work to broaden the boundaries of traditional domestic and/or sexual violence work through creative outreach to the LGBTQ community. Action Alliance said in a press release that, “Lyndon has demonstrated a commitment to positive change, exceptional activism, and innovation.”

Two years ago, Sayers was invited to participate in a focus group as part of a senior capstone project at Washington and Lee University about the LGBTQ Community in Lexington and Rockbridge County. The project was done in partnership with Project Horizon, whose aim is to reduce domestic, dating, and sexual violence in the Rockbridge community. Project Horizon, the organization that nominated Pastor Sayers for the Pathfinder award, said this:

“It became evident that while many members of the LGBTQ community considered themselves to be ‘spiritual or religious,’ many said they were ostracized by organized religion. The LGBTQA Rockbridge Alliance grew out of the initial focus group.  Sayers welcomed LGBTQ members and allies into his home as a safe space to meet for fellowship or discussion.”

The LGBTQA Rockbridge Alliance, usually called “The Alliance,” is a group of about a dozen people, a mix of Washington and Lee college students, VMI keydets, young adults and others in the community who meet monthly for a social gathering.  While the group is designed to give members of the LGBTQ community a safe space, other informational or advocacy events have arisen from the meetings.

“For those who are LGBTQ there aren’t a lot of opportunities for them to be themselves'” Sayers said. “With the Alliance, they can count on at least one space for them to be able to do that.”

Churches across the country are making it a priority to become officially recognized as a welcoming community and many choose to be listed on the Reconciling in Christ Congregation List.

“We are called to witness to the marginalized,” said Sayers. “I think this is central to how we live out this gospel.”