About

A favorite quote from our beloved co-founder Virginia West Davidson (1916-2009):

“Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling this journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind!”

  • Henri Amiel (1821-1881)

Our Mission

Called by the life and teachings of Jesus, compelled by our faith, and charged by our conscience, we advocate for an inclusive church for all who are disenfranchised a church that honors diversity and welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons as full members full membership, which includes eligibility for ordination to the offices of 
Elder, Deacon, and Minister of Word and Sacrament.

Our Commitment

That All May Freely Serve commits to actively resist and transform structures and systems of injustice, joining in solidarity in making the connections with those disenfranchised by racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, ablebodyism, gender identity oppression, eco-exploitation, militarism, and all other structures of exploitation and oppression through the lens of our social location, and to focus on the liberation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious prejudice and exclusionary church policies.

Our Core Values

INTEGRITY

  • transparent so that all may know clearly who we are and what we do
  • consistent, faithful, and truthful as we embody our vision and mission
  • clear about our purpose and the path we take
  • persistent as we face difficulties and conflict
  • trusting one another’s goodwill and our ultimate goal

SPIRIT-BASED

  • center our actions in prayer and worship
  • live and act with unconditional love
  • open to the spirit and listening for God’s voice
  • hear and respond to the cries of creation and of each other
  • seek spiritual wisdom

LOVE, JUSTICE, FREEDOM FOR ALL

  • notice what people/groups are and are not included
  • confront systems of oppression
  • come into our own strong voices
  • live into a greater wholeness with the universe and all who live therein
  • ask questions of access and cultural influences/differences

RELATIONAL/PARTNERSHIP

  • hear one another’s stories
  • make decisions after listening to others
  • remember that cultural influences and differences affect relationships
  • covenant together to maintain and honor our connections
  • join together in a kind of relationality in which “all participants are engaged, empathic, and growing (Judith V. Jordan, “The Meaning of Mutuality“)


History

That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) was founded in 1992 to advocate for an inclusive and welcoming Church and for the ordination of qualified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) candidates for ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA). We formed in response to a 1992 ecclesiastical court decision by the highest judicial body of the Presbyterian Church (USA) which set aside the pastoral call of the Rev. Dr. Jane Adams (Janie) Spahr to the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY, simply because she was honest and open about her lesbian identity. In a constructive response to this painful denial the Downtown Church created a mission project, That All May Freely Serve, and called the Rev. Spahr as their “traveling lesbian evangelist” to visit congregations, pastors and church members throughout the country telling the stories of LGBT Presbyterians, preaching, educating, and challenging exclusive church structures.

Janie Spahr retired in 2007, but the work of TAMFS continues. Lisa Larges, who had been serving as our Regional Partnership Coordinator, became the Minister Coordinator. Lisa’s own struggle to be ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament has been going on for twenty-two years and continues to this very day.

History is being written each day, each month, each year as we move closer and closer to a time That All May Freely Serve. We thank you for joining us on that journey.