Listen to this articleDespite many gay members of the Mormon Church facing difficulties within their own wards, there are still those that cling to the faith and lifestyle, said LDS Reconciliation leader Tom DeVroom. There are many gay members and former members of the faith that want to discuss spirituality in a safe environment, DeVroom said.
LDS Reconciliation is a group that meets regularly to discuss the gospel of Jesus Christ from an LDS perspective, DeVroom said. With weekly discussions and other activities, such as movie nights, the group is a fantastic social atmosphere for those looking for low-key interactions.
“We’ve been meeting for about 20 years now and while membership fluctuates, we always have a consistent number of people coming,” DeVroom said.
The group does not participate in large pushes for advocacy and isn’t involved in the public sector as much as some other gay groups, he said. Instead they focus on taking care of the members of the group and growing spiritually, he said.
Everyone is invited to attend and there are no requirements for age or LDS Church membership, DeVroom said. There are current and actively participating Mormons who attend. And there are some people who attend that have not had interaction with the Church for years.
“We meet to help provide a space where people can be spiritual and discuss the gospel and not feel threatened about their sexuality,” DeVroom said.
The group also encourages straight allies and people that have gay or lesbian family members to attend the group. The LDS Reconciliation website states that the group strives to help people put being gay and Mormon into perspective.
The meetings take place every Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Utah Pride Center. The group, and the website, LDSReconciliation.org, have resources to help gay Mormons and their family members. Other activities are planned and calendar updates are available online.
