Ministry in Human Sexuality, Inc. was a 501c3 non-profit agency I founded in 1981, which provided pastoral counseling with a sexuality and relationship emphasis, education on sexuality matters, and advocacy for more inclusion of those who experienced disability, or who were gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in church and community. During that time, I wrote a number of articles for the singles newspaper, and worked with two other agencies on sexuality and disability workshops presented in several communities around Lincoln. MHS closed in 1988, prior to our move to Denver.
In the United Methodist Church, ministry in some settings other than local churches requires a statement of rationale. I put together a small booklet of this rationale, which was submitted to the United Methodist Bishop in 1980 with the request that I be "appointed" to serve in it. Scanned images of the pages and more information are here.
Here is the Mission Statement I wrote:
Mission Statement
"Affirming the Gift of Sexuality:
Toward Whole Persons, Growing Relationships, Inclusive Community"
The mission of Ministry in Human Sexuality, Inc., is:
- to acknowledge, proclaim, and celebrate the gift of human sexuality;
- to bring good news about the gift of sexuality to the human pain, brokenness, and estrangement surrounding many areas of human sexuality;
- to enable and encourage persons to increase their understandings and skills in expressing and embodying love and compassion.
This mission is one of witness, service, and support. M.H.S. witnesses to all the gift of sexuality. M.H.S. serves those who want help in understanding, appreciating, and growing in their sexuality as a gift, an important and valuable part of personhood and wholeness as individuals, in relationships with others, and in spirituality. M.H.S. seeks to support those who are in "exile" because of misunderstandings about sexuality.