[Magdalen] My announcement (was Quick prayer request)

[Ginga Wilder]

Kristin,
Prayers of support and encouragement as you become yourself more fully.
You honor us by sharing this in the Pub.

Ginga

On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 2:14 PM, Jon Egger <revegger at gmail.com> wrote:

> Kristin,
>
> I am very honored to know you and that you're accepting the name that God
> originaly called you.  I'm sure you are greatly relieved by letting people
> know, and also relieved that your stress level will lessen now that you
> have resigned your position.  Yes, some people will be upset, but for me
> (and I am sure others) your sexuality and gender 'tis but a blip of
> joy...please, my sister in Christ, remember that we are made in God's
> ("our") image.  Please let us know of any plans for gender reassignment
> surgery.  As I understand it, it is much easier for male to female surgery
> than female to male.
>
> Gosdspeed on this journey, and prayers always.
>
> +++
> Grace & peace,
> jon
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 12:43 PM, Roger Stokes <
> roger.stokes65 at btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> > Kristin,
> >
> > When you first asked for our prayers over your situation I thought it was
> > about more than resigning your present position and that who you are was
> at
> > the root of it.  My prayers that your coming out proceeds smoothly.
> >
> > On a related issue it was our Beer Festival last week and I remember
> > serving somebody a couple of years ago who was clearly a man in the early
> > stages of transition to woman, dressed and presenting as female but with
> > clealry male features and looks.  By last year there was a clear change
> in
> > how she looked, sufficient to need a check, which was provided by the
> > Adam's Apple.  Last week she was clearly at ease in her persona and the
> > treatment has had a very marked effect.  Her hair would have been the
> envy
> > of many a natural-born woman.
> >
> > This is not an easy step to have taken and it shows great courage.
> >
> > Roger
> >
> > On 16/10/2014 17:59, Scott Rollins wrote:
> >
> >> ​I hope you'll forgive me for not writing a separate post, but I hope to
> >> when life calms down a bit.
> >>
> >> I sent the message below to the choir on Tuesday, so that they would
> know
> >> of it before our rehearsal last night. And, as had been arranged, when I
> >> had sent the message to the choir, the rector forwarded it on to the
> >> members of the vestry and the rest of the staff.
> >>
> >> The message (and then I'll add a bit more):
> >>
> >> ----- Begin included message -----
> >>
> >> Friends,
> >>
> >> A few days ago, I gave Father Derek my resignation. My final Sunday will
> >> be
> >> in just over a month.
> >>
> >> Part of the reason is burnout. My reaction to the parts of the job that
> I
> >> have found difficult has grown to consume more and more of my attention
> >> and
> >> my energy as time has gone on. Were this the only reason, I would have
> >> attempted to find adjustments that would permit me to continue.
> >>
> >> However, over the past few years, I have also been coming to an
> >> understanding of who I am which does not match how I have been
> presenting
> >> myself to you. And I have reached the point where I can't continue
> hiding
> >> who I am; that is, where I can't continue hiding that I am a transgender
> >> woman.
> >>
> >> A word on terminology: a transgender woman is somebody who despite the
> >> anatomy they were born with identifies as a woman. It isn't about
> >> impersonation or performance, it is about who I am.
> >>
> >> I recognize that there are those who will be uncomfortable with this and
> >> others who will object based upon their beliefs. So while I have come to
> >> the point where I need to be more open about who I am, I also believe
> that
> >> continuing in a staff position during this transition would lead to
> >> controversy and division within the parish, and be a distraction from
> (and
> >> detriment to) the real mission of St. John's, as well as adding to how
> >> difficult it would be for me to handle my responsibilities as your choir
> >> director.
> >>
> >> I want to thank you all for everything you all do for this parish and
> for
> >> all you have done over the last four and a half years to welcome me and
> to
> >> help lead music here at St. John's. I ask for your prayers, and you will
> >> continue to be in my prayers.
> >>
> >> ----- End included message -----
> >>
> >> The one thing that I left out was my name. I am using the name Kristin.
> I
> >> have been using that name in various places online for a while now, but
> I
> >> wanted to stay as Scott at work until my finish date (which is Nov 16),
> in
> >> an attempt to not cause too much of an issue while I'm still in a
> >> leadership position.
> >>
> >> I have been surprised at how positive the responses have been. I
> received
> >> replies Tuesday from most of the choir, and I received a couple of other
> >> messages from people in or connected to the vestry. And most of them
> were
> >> fully supportive. (Though, of course, there were one or two that were
> >> sorry
> >> I was leaving but mostly ignoring the reason behind it. I am sure the
> >> conversations between parishioners are far more "interesting" than any
> >> conversation that I will be part of.)
> >>
> >> My biggest fear had been the word getting to the parish and now that the
> >> situation is public knowledge, I'm feeling freer to let other people who
> >> knew me as Scott know. Before this week, the people who knew were my
> wife,
> >> my stepdaughter, my mother, my former therapist, our current one, my
> >> rector, a former parishioner who moved out of state, and members of my
> >> wife's now-former order, and then the online people who have only known
> me
> >> as Kristin. Now, I'm both excited and scared about coming out to other
> >> people and trying to stagger it enough that I don't drown under the
> >> responses, but quickly enough that people who need to hear quickly do.
> >>
> >> So, that's the situation here. Thank you for all your prayers around the
> >> announcement, and I'd appreciate them as I move forward.
> >>
> >> Kristin
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>