In a heartfelt and spiritually rooted sermon, Pastor Phillippa Phaneuf of North Chili United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York, came out as a trans woman, telling her congregation:
“The best way to put this is that I’m not becoming a woman, I’m giving up pretending to be a man.”
Phaneuf used the final ten minutes of her 23 November worship service to share the deeply personal journey she’s been on and invite her community into a season of creative transformation alongside her.
“I am inviting you to join me in a season of creative transformation for myself,” she said, “and, I think, for all of us.”
“I feel God’s Holy Spirit surrounding me”
Phaneuf began hormone replacement therapy three months ago, and described the experience as deeply affirming and joyful — a spiritual moment she said could not be something God disapproves of.
“Imagine if your doctor came and told you that your quality and outlook on life could transform exponentially to the positive. Would you listen to that doctor? If you felt God’s Holy Spirit surrounding you in ways that you haven’t felt in years, would you have a sense that that might be something that God was okay with?”
She also drew on biblical scholarship to illustrate how gender diversity is not new.
“In the ancient Hebrew they recognized at least eight different gender types.”
“What stays the same is who I am inside”
Phaneuf anticipated that some members of her congregation might feel shocked or uncertain, and reassured them that many things — especially the heart of her ministry — remain unchanged.
“What will stay the same is my commitment to the good news of Jesus Christ, our togetherness in ministry… my personality, my style of teaching, my style of preaching, my ADHD brain type (you’re welcome), my sense of humour – none of that is changing.”
She added that, while her appearance, voice, clothing, and pronouns will change, the core relationship with her congregation — built on love, faith, and mutual support — is unchanged.
“This could make our church an even safer space”
Pastor Phaneuf believes her transition can further strengthen her church’s mission to welcome all.
“The church might become an even safer space for people who have felt marginalized… I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now unless I had felt the love and support from all of you.”
Despite overwhelming support from her congregation, not all of her loved ones were accepting. She shared that her parents do not support her transition and asked her to relay that fact to her community.
“They texted me this morning, and they asked for me to tell you all that they do not support me, and that they have chosen their convictions and their beliefs over supporting their child.”
Still, she remains hopeful that acceptance will grow, particularly as others witness the happiness and peace her transition brings.
“That’s what we want for the people in our lives, isn’t it?”
A Church Shifting Towards Inclusivity
Pastor Phaneuf celebrated the United Methodist Church’s 2024 decision to remove its longstanding ban on LGBTQ+ clergy.
The landmark vote at the General Conference passed 692–51, eliminating penalties for clergy who perform or refuse same-sex weddings and affirming the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in ministry.
However, this inclusive direction has prompted backlash — with over 7,000 congregations disaffiliating from the UMC since a 2019 decision that allowed churches to leave over LGBTQ+ issues. More than 5,000 of those exits occurred in 2023 alone.
Yet, for churches like North Chili, this moment is a turning point — one that Pastor Phaneuf believes reflects the very essence of the faith she preaches.
