#64 – Grace Thomas: From Pentecostal Pastor to Trans Woman

Grace Thomas came out as a transgender woman at age 61—after decades of life as a pastor, husband, and father. That alone makes her story remarkable. But what’s even more compelling is the way she tells it: with gentleness, honesty, and deep care for the people in her life.

In this episode, Grace shares how her transition has shaped her relationships with her children and her wife, what it’s been like to remain in conversation with those who don’t fully understand or affirm her, and how her reading of Scripture has changed her approach to parenting, church, and more.

We’re particularly grateful for the gracious and curious way that Grace approaches all her conversations, and we hope you’ll join us to learn from her, no matter where you land on these topics.

About Our Guest

Grace is a committed follower of Jesus with a call to ministry. She is also a trans woman out publicly for 3 ½ years. During her 32 years as a pastor in a conservative denomination, her two youngest children came out as gay. Deeply committed to loving her sons and following Jesus, she began a long journey of rethinking faith and what it means to fully love others, especially her children and herself. Grace supports parents of LGBTQ kids through various support groups as well as pursuing community and inclusion for LGBTQ individuals in the church. You can contact her at graceisforyoualways@gmail.com

Note: This episode uses the terms “Side A” and “Side B” as shorthand quite a bit. If you’re new to the conversation, you might find it helpful to check out episode #3, where we talk through the four “sides”: ⁠#3 - A-B-Y-X | 4 Sides on SSA/Gay Sexuality⁠

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★ Timestamps

(00:00) #64 - Grace Thomas: From Pentecostal Pastor to Trans Woman

(03:39) I only knew to say: "Being gay is sin."

(10:40) Coming out to myself as transgender: "I don't know" is cruel

(25:15) The wrong wedding clothes: How does it hang on the law of love?

(33:29) "Parents know if they're giving a child a fish or a rock"

(47:02) Holiness: I don't see God as "untouchable"

(58:26) A trans experience: Psalm 139

(01:10:58) A trans experience: The car parts store

(01:15:25) A trans experience: Passing as female

(01:18:38) No one can stop me from loving my neighbor

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★ Links and References

Check out a few other episodes we mentioned in this conversation:

* #32 - TJ Participated in an “Oriented to Love” Dialogue--Here Are His Thoughts

* #33 - Asking Better Questions with Oriented to Love’s Kristyn Komarnicki

* #11 - Fractures in Our Moral Foundation | Applying Haidt to Sexual Ethic Divides

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★ Send us feedback, questions, comments, and support!

Email: communionandshalom@gmail.com | Instagram: @newkinship | Substack: @newkinship | Patreon: @newkinship

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★ Credits

Creators and Hosts: David Frank, TJ Espinoza | Audio Engineer: Carl Swenson, carlswensonmusic.com | Podcast Manager: Elena F. | Graphic Designer: Gavin Popken, gavinpopkenart.com ★

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