9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. / Parlor / Adult Forum / 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. / Worship Room / New Garden Friends Meeting welcomes Brent Walsh as our guest speaker for Adult Forum and during Meeting for Worship on November 24th. Brent was raised as a female in a conservative family and struggled with the religious ramifications that came with being gay and Christian.

After several failed conversion attempts, deep soul searching helped him realize that sexuality need not conflict with faith. This ultimately paved the way for him to openly affirm himself as a transgender man.

Brent’s passion for storytelling through both photography and writing led him to Earlham School of Religion where he earned a Master’s of Divinity degree in 2013. He is delighted to be back at his alma mater serving as the Director of Student and Alumni Engagement. He is also working on several writing projects and accepts speaking engagements at faith institutions wanting to better understand and support transgender and non-binary communities.

Brent is traveling to Greensboro from Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana and will be sharing a message entitled: “Fearless Authenticity.” In addition to bringing the programmed message during Meeting for Worship, Brent will also be leading Adult Forum in the parlor, 9:45-10:45 a.m.

When Brent was born, his parents were delighted to welcome their third daughter, Brenda, into the world. But from an early age, Brent knew he was different than his sisters, and every other girl he knew. As he grew, he quickly discovered that his Christian identity would be challenged by questions surrounding his sexuality, and eventually his gender identity. Brent will introduce you to Brenda, the conservative girl with a passion for ministry, the heartbroken lesbian who thought God had no use for her, and the woman who eventually taught Brent that true strength comes from living a life of fearless authenticity. You may find that Brent’s story is not that different from your own. Transitions are a part of the human experience, and through them we see that courage and tenacity result from the struggle to live a truly authentic life.

With stories of heartbreak and humor from his personal experience, Brent will demonstrate that being LGBTQ+ need not hinder one’s relationship with the Divine or the unique testimony we offer to the world.

Friends are invited to join us and give as they feel led to support Brent’s ministry.