LDS & LGBTQ+ Affirming Church to Share a Sacred Space!

“On this episode of Mormon Book Reviews, Steven and Rebecca are joined by Reverend Will Critzman, pastor of New York's historic West End Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has recently signed a three-year lease for 35,000 square feet of shared and dedicated space at the 132 year-old, landmarked building. The LDS Church is going to start remodeling the New York Tabernacle in March so it needed space to accommodate the Wards that meet there.

West End Church is the oldest Protestant church in America. It was founded by the Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam. Historically it has been affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, but recently they have also joined up with the United Church of Christ (UCC). The UCC is also a very important church because it has both Pilgrim and Puritan roots. You could say that this is where the Restoration and the Reformation now share a common Sacred Space! Will likes to say that the Churches are going to be ‘Roommates.’

Reverend Critzman, an openly gay married pastor, tells Steven and Rebecca more about the church and their focus on inclusivity, tolerance, racial and gender equality, LGBTQ-affirming space, and love, while talking about his excitement to be sharing a worship space with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This vibrant church community is looking forward to partnering with their new tenants as they both follow their faith journeys. While there are differences in belief, Reverend Critzman is excited to learn more about these local LDS Wards and believes they will find they have more in common than not. It may be a different experience for these Latter-day Saint congregations to worship in a church building that openly displays Pride flags and is openly LGBTQ-affirming, but there in no doubt everyone will learn a lot from each other.” — Mormon Book Reviews: Where an Evangelical Encounters the Restoration