| Community Events and News |
Reverend Bill Lee
by Deb Francis
part 3
| | The staff of the BRLP would like to acknowledge the life and work of Reverend William Lee. In this interview you will learn how this man has spent his life reaching for extraordinary goals for himself, for the Loudon Avenue Christian Church congregation and for the greater community.
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Lee:*I experienced being outside of a circle. It doesn*t feel good. This conference was the first time I*d attended. Eva and Linda went with me, to an African American/HIV/Aids Awareness Conference, and we*re the only Church west of Richmond that*s engaged in this work. That*s cool; we*re alright. It makes you a target, but that*s alright. But, obviously, everybody else had attended previous conferences, so everybody knew each other. And they were coalescing there* and the person who had pulled it together, she was on this other side of the room* and we were sitting over here. And, I said to Eva, *I don*t feel too comfortable.* She said, *I don*t either.* I said, *It*s like we aren*t here.* Can you imagine if you had to live like this every day of your life? Folks talking to folks over here but acting like you*re not in the room? Being black, gone through Jim Crowe; gone through *separate but equal;* gone through segregated schools* You were here when I preached that series dealing with Who*s in the Story. And, I am very open and vocal about that now. So, there*s no guessing. Folks don*t have to guess.
D:*(chuckle) Yeah* yeah.
Lee:*They do not have to guess. They*ll see it.
D:*I like that.
Lee:*Without having to defend who you are, I don*t have to spend sermons preaching a gay message. That*s not why you*re here. That*s not why persons come. The gospel is full of love to meet everybody[*s need].
D:*Right. Right.
Lee:*But, when the gospel pinpoints you for the negative end, it is no longer the gospel. When the gospel puts you down, it*s not gospel. When I*ve got to preach a sermon at you, it*s not gospel. And, if I can*t have a gospel that*s lifting and liberating, then I can*t preach the gospel. It just doesn*t fit. It just doesn*t fit. Well, you didn*t ask me that, but*
D:*No, no. That*s good. The members in general, the people who*ve been here forever, you know, 20, 30, 40 years. Has it been pretty good, in general, their response?
Lee:*You know, this is my honesty again. I have wrestled with whether if the persons are white is the biggest struggle. Because, I*ve been here 30 years, and some of the hardest working, most trustworthy workers I have had here are gay. In the black culture, you just can*t say it. It can*t become public because it*s (whispering), *But there*ve always been gay people at Loudon Avenue.* As a matter of fact, there*s some who are now gone by way of death, who were the most dedicated, hardest working people I*ve had in this church, but I won*t call anyone by name.
D:*But, some people knew.
Lee:*Yes! It*s not just some. Everybody! Let me tell you the reason why. If I hire someone, I interview them. There*re whispers in the community, because this is a small community, not Loudon but Northwest. The black community is a small community; it*s not a big community. And, I say, OK, there are issues there. And that*s why anyone who knows me, this is not new. I have dealt openly in this church for 30 years.
D:*OK.
Lee:*What I am asking you to do is to not be an exhibitionist here, to not use your position as a platform to push your agenda. That*s all I ask of you. Those persons have been the most faithful. Some are still here. I*ve had some to leave, not because they dislike Loudon or were made to be uncomfortable. I*ve had persons who have seen me to be attractive, and they had difficulty hearing me preach.
D:*Well, you are a handsome fella* (chuckling) You are!
Lee:*Well, thank you very much. Thank you. But, I think to me it*s quite moving and wonderful to talk to a man who says, that*s my difficulty. Some people have the same difficulty. So, it*s not new. It*s not new, my goodness, it*s not new.
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