Looking for an LGBTQIA+ Affirming Church in Nashville? Welcome to Edgehill UMC
If you’re searching for a LGBTQIA+ inclusive and affirming church in Nashville, you’re likely asking an important question: Where can I find a community of faith that truly welcomes and celebrates all people, including queer and trans siblings? At Edgehill United Methodist Church, that welcome isn’t just a tagline — it’s woven into who we are and how we’ve lived out our faith for decades.
Art commissioned by PFLAG in honor of Phil Michal Thomas, Edgehill UMC member & LGBTQIA activist
WHAT LGBTQIA+ AFFIRMING MEANS HERE
When we say LGBTQIA+ affirming, we mean:
Full welcome and celebration of LGBTQIA+ people as beloved children of God
Inclusion in membership, leadership, and ministry without barriers
Sacramental access and pastoral care for all sexual orientations and gender identities
Support for same-gender weddings and covenants of love
Scriptural engagement rooted in love, justice, and liberation — not exclusion
This goes beyond simply welcoming visitors. LGBTQIA+ people here are fully embraced in every aspect of church life — from gathering around the table at Holy Communion to serving in leadership and pastoral roles because it's who we are.
A LEGACY OF INCLUSION
Edgehill’s commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion isn’t new — it’s historic. In the early 1970s, when many churches in Nashville wouldn’t open their doors, Edgehill invited the Metropolitan Community Church (a denomination created by and for queer people) to worship in our sanctuary. That early hospitality wasn’t just generous; it was game-changing.
When some in our denomination pushed back against that relationship, the congregation chose reflection, study, and dialogue rather than retreat. The result wasn’t a quiet compromise — it was a committed and unapologetic stance of welcome, and the beginning of Edgehill’s role as a model for affirming inclusion.
When the United Methodist Church institutionalized exclusionary policy language, Edgehill resisted and joined the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) — becoming the first Reconciling Congregation in the Southeastern United States and helping lay the groundwork for the movement that now connects hundreds of affirming ministries. In fact, Edgehill’s work with the MCC in the 1970s was the used as the blueprint for the RMN reconciling process.
LIVED FAITH IN TIMES OF CRSIS
Affirmation at Edgehill has never been just theoretical. During the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s — when fear, stigma, and abandonment were common — Edgehill stood with LGBTQIA+ neighbors in support groups, prayer services, pastoral care, advocacy, and community care. Members visited hospital rooms, offered hospice support, worked with local organizations on basic needs, and embodied the Gospel through presence and compassion rather than avoidance.
JUSTICE
Affirmation here isn’t just about sexuality and gender identity — it’s part of a broader commitment to justice and inclusion. From racial integration to housing rights, from immigrant support to prison reform, the church strives to live out a faith that welcomes all people and stands with those on the margins of society.
Whether you’re ready to plug in, curious to explore, or seeking a faith community that sees you as you are, Edgehill’s doors — and hearts — are open. Learn more about Edgehill’s stance on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and affirmation. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions from queer visitors and allies.