Key Points:
- Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and the Garrett Collective helped organize “Sacred, Trans & Blessed,” an ecumenical gathering of music, art and worship.
- Trans composers from diverse backgrounds shared hymns and liturgical expressions inviting churches to fully incorporate their voices and experiences.
- The gathering brought together different faith traditions, challenging Christian communities to examine practices that have contributed to the exclusion of transgender people.
An ecumenical initiative brought together diverse Christian traditions to affirm the dignity of transgender people and recognize their place in the liturgy and life of the church.
More than 50 people attended the “Sacred, Trans & Blessed” Hymn Festival in person on Oct. 8 at Grace Lutheran Church in Evanston, while another 15 participated online.
The event featured music, art, prayer and theological reflection centered on the spirituality and experiences of transgender people.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, one of 13 United Methodist-affiliated seminaries in the U.S., supported the event through its Garrett Collective.
The Rev. Abby Mohaupt, director of the Garrett Collective, explained that the initiative grew out of a vision promoted by the seminary’s president, the Rev. Dr. Javier A. Viera, to imagine a theological institution capable of responding to the actual needs of the church and the communities it serves.
In this context, a proposal emerged to create greater opportunities for trans people to participate in Christian music and liturgy. The Rev. Andrew Wymer, professor at Garrett and collaborator on the initiative, highlighted the need for more musical resources rooted in trans experiences. He reached out to Eli Cooper-Nelson, a hymn writer and liturgical educator who was already envisioning bringing together trans composers to share their work.
Although the project was not initially included in the Garrett Collective budget, the team found individuals and institutions willing to contribute. The result was an ecumenical experience that transcended the boundaries of a single denomination. Participants were connected to Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist and other faith traditions. The collaboration allowed different communities to share their resources, knowledge and perspectives, creating space for recognition and participation.
For Mohaupt, the purpose goes beyond organizing a one-time event. It is about contributing to a church where people do not have to separate their identity from their faith.
“A church that is for everyone is a beautiful and gracious thing,” she said.
Cooper-Nelson, who trained at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, said his experience in educational settings and gatherings focused on liturgy helped him recognize a persistent absence: Transgender people were rarely represented in those spaces, and they had few opportunities to participate in creating the resources used by churches.
“At many of those gatherings, I was often the only transgender person present. So I began looking for transgender composers who could share their work and contribute to a liturgical experience shaped by their own lives,” he said.
To expand the outreach, he turned to networks such as the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, GIA Publications and other connections. He also received support from Red Crearte, a Latin American network dedicated to the creation of liturgical resources, and the Rev. Gerardo Oberman in establishing contact with Colombian composer Zara Torreglosa.
Cooper-Nelson described the initiative as “the first hymn festival composed entirely of transgender people in the history of the Christian church.”
It was not simply about performing songs about diversity, he said, but about recognizing transgender people as creators of music, theology and expressions of faith for the whole church.
The compositions addressed different dimensions of transgender experience: harm and violence; connection, grief and mutual care; gratitude for one’s own identity; and the call to go out into the world and transform it. Music was combined with storytelling, artistic expression and moments of prayer.
“Transgender people are sacred,” Cooper-Nelson said, adding that the gathering challenged the notion that transgender experiences should remain on the margins of hymnals, worship spaces or the formation of Christian communities.
“The challenge is not to include one song in a special celebration and consider the work done. It is about incorporating transgender voices throughout the entire liturgical year and recognizing that exclusion can also be reinforced through Christian rhetoric and teachings,” Cooper-Nelson said.
A Latin American voice
Torreglosa’s participation brought a Latin American perspective to the collaboration. A Colombian composer, choir director and church musician, she has more than 30 years of experience and has studied at theological and musical institutions in Colombia and Argentina.
Her compositions have been included in hymnals and song collections across different denominations, including materials used by Methodist communities in Latin America. However, she has also encountered resistance when her work addresses diversity and the experiences of transgender people.
One of her songs, “And You Will Know the Truth, and the Truth Will Set You Free,” grows out of her experience and self-understanding as a transgender woman, while conveying a message intended for the entire Christian community.
Her participation was made possible through a connection established by Oberman, coordinator of Red Crearte. Torreglosa said being invited affirmed her work.
“(It was) one of the most significant events in my career and the greatest recognition my work has received to date,” she said.
Her presence also highlighted the importance of ecumenical initiatives incorporating Latin American voices rather than limiting conversations to English-speaking contexts. Linguistic and cultural diversity are part of the richness of the church and deserve a place in its expressions of worship, Torreglosa said.
Remembering and responsibility
The gathering included a panel discussion devoted to Transgender Day of Remembrance, pastoral care and the violence affecting these communities. The conversation emphasized that remembrance cannot be limited to speaking the names of those who have died. It also requires recognizing the responsibilities of Christian institutions and communities.
Among the topics discussed was the need to remember especially Black and racially marginalized transgender people. Participants also emphasized the importance of churches acknowledging how certain theological interpretations and religious practices have contributed to exclusion and suffering.
Subscribe to our
e-newsletter
Participants stressed that commemorative gatherings must provide care for those attending, avoid graphic details that could trigger renewed trauma and offer pastoral support beyond the worship service. Remembering those who have died because of violence also means committing to the protection and dignity of those who are still living, the panelists said.
Identity and faith
For the Garrett Collective, the collaboration created an opportunity to share resources and strengthen the participation of Spanish-speaking and Latino communities.
“Inclusion should never require anyone to choose between their language, their identity and their place within the church,” Mohaupt said.
The gathering left Christian communities with an important question: Who gets the opportunity to write hymns, create images, lead worship and help shape the ways in which the faith of the community is expressed?
For Cooper-Nelson, the answer does not depend solely on celebrating special events.
“It requires opening up ongoing opportunities for participation, examining the resources churches use and recognizing that transgender people also have gifts, experiences and knowledge that enrich Christian life.”
Vasquez is coordinator of Hispanic-Latino Relations for United Methodist Communications. To contact UM News, email [email protected] or [email protected].
