One TransVersal Project — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is this replacing the Open and Affirming / Welcoming Church movement?

• No. We honor and build upon the decades of work done by Open and Affirming, Reconciling, and Welcoming Church movements.

• Many leaders have served in those movements, including the creators of this curriculum. That work made space for this next step.

• We’ve learned that certification alone was never the goal.

  • It didn’t stop trans erasure.

  • It didn’t protect Black lives or decolonize land use.

  • It didn’t prevent 56% of white voters from choosing empire over equity in 2024.

• This program began in 2019–2020 with an HRC grant to trans faith leaders. One TransVersal was born from that vision.
   

2. What makes One TransVersal different?

• This isn’t about checking a box. Most called to this work already have.

• This is about transforming how we live, lead, and love our communities.

• Rooted in intersectionality, we ask:

  • What is the greatest unmet need in your community?

  • What is the greatest justice gap your group is called to address?

• The six-month process supports:

  • Housing programs for queer youth

  • Healing circles for Black and Indigenous survivors

  • Community gardens or memorial groves

  • Legal aid, food programs, and sanctuary spaces

Example: First Congregational Church of Sheridan, WY

• Nearly closed but reimagined itself by feeding people and opening space to community.

• Revitalized, rebuilt trust, and completed building renovations.

• That is embodied transformation.
   

3. Why now?

• The model of church many inherited is no longer sustainable.

  • Buildings are underused.

  • Budgets are shrinking.

  • Spirits are alive, but action is missing.

• One TransVersal helps reimagine church as:

  • A justice hub

  • A healing home

  • A space for collective action
     

4. Haven’t churches been welcoming for decades?

• Yes, and that’s the problem.

  • Queer and trans youth remain at risk.

  • BIPOC leaders are burned out.

  • Churches are still predominantly white.

• Inclusion without accountability is not justice.

• Covenant without consequences is not love.

• One TransVersal asks: How do your values show up in your daily life and relationships?

• True covenant must be tied to mission.
   

5. Is this a certification program?

• No. This is not about external approval.

• We build justice-rooted, local networks.

• The goal is living transformation, not box-checking.
   

6. Is this a new church or denomination?

• No. This is a spiritually grounded framework for advocacy, education, and empowerment.

• Open to all groups: religious, interfaith, humanist, and more.
   

7. So what is it exactly?

• A framework to build small, connected, justice-driven networks.

• Combines:

  • Truthful education

  • Ethical and spiritual grounding

  • Strategies for local healing and action

• Operates independently to stay outside the traditional structures of empire and whiteness.
   

8. Why no certification?

• Certification often creates the illusion of inclusion.

• We focus on relationships, not benchmarks.

• We ask: What are you doing to love your people well?
   

9. What communities can participate?

• UU, UCC, Jewish, Pagan, Buddhist, Methodist, and others

• LGBTQIA+ groups, youth orgs, nonprofits, colleges, community centers

• Individuals and living-room gatherings
   

10. What do you teach?

• Decolonial, truth-based education rooted in local stories.

  • WY: Matthew Shepard, KKK history, racial exclusion

  • SF: Compton’s Cafeteria, internment, resistance

  • South: Bayard Rustin, poverty, Indigenous resistance
     

11. What makes this worth the time and money?

• We offer:

  • Contextual analysis

  • Liberation and Indigenous ethics

  • Deep storytelling

  • Mutual support networks

  • A rejection of extractive, white-centered models
     

12. Who leads the work?

• Created and led by marginalized folks: queer, trans, BIPOC, neurodivergent, and others.

• Leadership is shared and local.
   

13. Can I start a group in my area?

• Yes. That’s the goal.

• We offer seasonal cohorts with training, templates, and support.

• You can also host a weekend event in person or online.
   

14. What does it cost?

• Fall 2025 Distance Cohort: $300 per group (6-month training and mentorship)

• Individual Cohort: Launches January 2026. Contact us for details.

• Weekend Events: $300 plus travel (airfare and hotel). Includes Saturday or Sunday program, with optional pulpit supply.

• Congregations can collaborate to share costs.

• 50% of each fee supports local youth and mutual aid projects.

• This isn’t just training. It’s a shared commitment to justice and radical inclusion.