EDINA, Minn. — Yolanda Denson-Byers is where she always knew she would be.
“Yes, I knew very clearly that I was going to be a preacher,” she said. “I just felt a lot of joy when I thought about my faith life and what I learned in church and about my faith life, and I knew I wanted to do that as my calling.”
Her calling now is lead pastor at Shepherd of the Hills Church in Edina. She says that when she is in public, people often have questions.
“You’re a woman, you’re black and you’re queer. You couldn’t be more marginalized,” Denson-Byers said.
But she cannot be stopped. She has a Master of Divinity from Harvard. She also has a wife and five children.
“Even in the church I grew up in as a child, I was told that as a woman I couldn’t be a pastor… and then you add that I’m part of this beautiful rainbow tribe and it’s so beyond the imagination because there’s a lot People understand Jesus and Christianity very intimately and they don’t understand the radical welcome to God for all people,” Denson-Byers said. “They believe that some are welcome, but not all are welcome and I reject that.”
She says she wants everyone to follow their beliefs and find community.
“Find one who loves you and affirms you and accepts you, and not only that, celebrates you,” Denson-Byers said.
She says her prayer is that people can have faith and be themselves.
“I want people to recognize their inherent worth, whether it’s their race or ethnicity, whether it’s sexual identity or gender expression. I want all people to recognize their inherent worth and that God made no mistake, you are perfect Denson says. – said Byers.
This holiday season, Denson-Byers says she is confident that more people can be themselves.
“At my core, I believe you should never discredit who you know you are,” she said.
Denson-Byers holds services every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at Shepherd of the Hills in Edina. She says everyone is welcome at the table.
Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield
