Giving thanks that Blake Simmons (he/him) joined our Glendale Family! Welcome home, Blake!

From Blake: “In the past 3 years, I feel like I have grown more than I ever have before. During this time, Emma (Blake’s partner) began to earnestly study the Bible leading me to begin to re-evaluate my relationship with God. I grew up in a home that immersed me in church, but was only ever shown a sliver of God’s love and instead taught to fear God’s wrath. When I began to question why God punished good people just for not knowing Him, I was told “You ask too many questions; you must learn to walk in faith.” and “Temptation comes from the Devil. We must resist him.” Eventually, the cognitive dissonance of an all-loving God sending people to Hell for things they could not control became too much and I turned away from God. Years of healing eventually lead me to understand that God is all-loving and understanding, it is only humans that fall short of that ideal. My religious ecosystem was so insulated from dissenting opinions, that it never occurred to me that religious Christians could believe something as radical as “God’s love has no exceptions.”

When Emma brought up the idea of going to a progressive church so our daughters could have a healthy community, I was skeptical that any church could love unconditionally. Much to my well-deserved chagrin, we found Glendale. The people of Glendale have inspired me to deepen my understanding and love of God, and to aim to be a true disciple of Christ.

I am joining Glendale because of God’s love and not fear of Hell. I am more grateful to Glendale than words could ever describe, because, for the first time ever, I am at a church that is working to bring God’s unconditional love to Earth as it is in Heaven.”