Draw the Circle Wide 

Draw the Circle Wide works to express the love of Christ for all members of the LGBTQ community, advocate for equality in all facets of society, and celebrate full inclusion in the United Methodist Church. 

Our History

In 2011, Glenn started the Rainbow Advocacy Group (now Draw the Circle Wide) to discern Glenn’s continuing role in affirming LGBTQIA+ rights and rites in the church. In 2014, Glenn joined the Reconciling Ministries Network, a move favored by 87% of Glenn voters. In 2015, Glenn was awarded the Emory University Office of LGBTQIA+ Life’s Outstanding Ally of the Year Award and recognized for its creation of an inclusive, respectful and safe climate for the Emory LGBTQIA+ community.  At the 2023 North Georgia UMC conference, an Affirmation calling to Center Justice and Empowerment for LGBTQIA+ People in the UMC was submitted by Glenn UMC Lay delegate, Jay Horton, and was approved. Attached is the approved resolution. Then, in 2024, we celebrated our 10 year anniversary as a Reconciling congregation AND celebrated the United Methodist Church’s 2024 General Conference full inclusion at last!

As we celebrate full inclusion in the UMC, we are also working to support members of the LGBTQAI+ community. We welcome all couples to united in marriage in wedding ceremonies in our Sanctuary or Little Chapel and celebrate these joyful and sacred ceremonies. For more information about weddings at Glenn please see the Weddings page linked here.

In addition, we provide financial support to LGBTQAI+ affirming organizations, and hosted our first reconciling worship service for the surrounding community in October 2021. Each October, Glenn continues its long tradition of marching in the Atlanta Pride Parade, along with other UMC’s and reconciling communities to share God’s love with all.

For resources curated by our Transforming the World team, visit our Draw the Circle Wide resource page!

Events

Lost-n-Found Youth 

Lost-n-Found Youth provides support for Atlanta’s unhoused LGBTQ+ youth, ages 18 to 25. Its ambitious goal is to end homelessness among this group. The organization supports a youth drop-in center, where lunch is served daily, and two transitional houses for 16 youth, where breakfasts and dinners are available. Glenn’s prepares and serves Lost-n-Found’s clients with a monthly hospitable hot meals and makes grocery runs to help stock the transition homes’ pantries. Glenn supports LnFY through Glenn’s Alternative Giving Catalog and by volunteers preparing and serving monthly meals. For more information contact Joan Lord.

Contact justice@glennumc.org or Carol Allums to learn more.