Nancy Van Dyke

This marks the beginning of a new venture for me. I will be sharing my personal devotional journal here in the pages of Whosoever. I do this as much for me as I do it to share my process with you. I have kept a spiritual journal for most of the past three years, but I've been very lax with it of late. Perhaps knowing that some of you are reading, and hopefully finding encouragement in what I write will spur me on to more regular writing.

I am 58 years old and live with my partner, Judy, in rural southeast GA. I have known Candace for years.... since way before Whosoever was even a gleam in her eye. So I have seen her change a lot, and she has witnessed a great deal of change in me also. I think we have both grown closer to God over the years. Candace's path has taken her to seminary. Mine took me to a two-year program designed to prepare spiritual directors to function within the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church is what I call home right now. This is at least partly because, here in the Deep South, it is one of very few denominations which is open and welcoming of gays and lesbians. (To my knowledge, bisexual and transgendered folks have not been discussed in polity sessions on the denomination's national level, but I have no reason to believe that anything other than a warm welcome would also be accorded to you). My church background has been checkered, beginning with the Swedish and American Baptist churches in MA, and extending through the Presbyterian, Unitarian, Disciples of Christ, Church of God, Assemblies of God, and MCC denominations as well as two non-denominational congregations lead by our very own Pastor Paul. So I speak a lot of different denominational languages. Hopefully you will find something with which you can relate in my writing.

Erny Phipps

Erny is currently the Moderator of Whosoever Prays, a mailing list operated by Whosoever. The list is made up of dedicated women and men, whose main focus is to pray for those who have posted prayers to the magazine. He has a strong devotion to deep spiritual thought and prayer, which was fueled from many years of studying Christanity and Comparative Religions. Coming from a foster home as a teenager, he describes himself as "street wise," giving him a more "earthy" approach to Christian thought. His greatest accomplishment in life is being "the best Dad in the world" to his 6 year old son.

Jim Davis

I am a 40ish man who grew up in a relationship with Christ. I was raised in a Christian home and attended non-denominational or Presbyterian churches growing up. During high school I was homophobic, mostly due to a couple of experiences where people took advantage of my lack of boundaries. In college I grew beyond that and with my father's guidance worked through several other prejudices.

I am the proud father of Harrison who is currently seven years old.

I found the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, Texas during a dark period in my life

I am a bit of an anomaly there since I am straight and chose the Cathedral for its healing message, not because I had a close friend or family member who is gay. I have since moved on to a church where there are "more of my kind" (as some gay friends urged)... but I continue to be involved in the Cathedral's outreach through local missions and the prayer ministry.

Nadine Taggart

I am a music teacher at a private Christian school, therefore, I am not out (job loss would immediately follow). I live with my three Schipperke dogs and my life partner of three years.

In addition to teaching, I write and arrange music and have been involved in musical theatre where I occasionally perform. I love books, learning and cooking.

I've always secretly wanted to write, so this is good for me.