Uniting Church in Sydney’s north shore welcomes openly gay minister

Uniting Church in Sydney’s north shore welcomes openly gay minister
Image: Darren Liepold becomes the first openly gay Uniting Church reverend in Sydney's lower north shore.

AFTER two year search, the Uniting Church in Sydney’s lower north shore suburb of Neutral Bay has accepted openly gay Reverend Darren Liepold as its new minister.

Canadian-born Liepold told Mosman Daily that the Neutral Bay congregation has been “fantastic”, while noting he has not received any negative comments.

 His appointment follows several rejected applications from parishes nationwide, where Liepold suspected his sexuality was a factor in their refusal.

“A couple of churches didn’t want me because I was gay – for some people these issues take time,” he told Mosman Daily. 

“People need to get to know who I am, that I don’t have an agenda and my work is about the church – that is most important.”

Liepold is not the Uniting Church’s first openly-gay minister. The Pitt Street Uniting Church congregation in Sydney’s CBD is led by out lesbian Dr Margaret Mayman.

The reverend said he is proud of the social justice and inclusion the Uniting Church shares.

Liepold married Uniting Church of Canada minister Brian Nicholson in 2003 following the introduction of marriage equality in Canada.

Prior to getting married, the couple had a commitment ceremony in 1993 and adopted a son five years later.

While their marriage has been legally recognised in NSW, Liepold was disheartened that Australia has still not enacted marriage equality at a federal level.

“If people love one another why don’t people respect that?” he said.

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3 responses to “Uniting Church in Sydney’s north shore welcomes openly gay minister”

  1. Thanks Reverend Dr Amelia Kih-Butler for your reply and further information into the church’s accepting history of the LGBT community. I have taken note of the mistake that Darren Liepold is not the first to be minister and have requested to the editor to change the by-line.

    Thanks for your correction.

  2. Welcome Darren.
    And thanks to Amelia for the further information.
    The article also implies that Margaret Mayman is the first (and perhaps only) other gay or lesbian minister in the Uniting Church, although I’m willing to accept that she was named simply as a currently well-known example.
    There are ‘openly’ gay and lesbian ministers (some with partners) throughout the country, in almost every State.

  3. I’m a bit disappointed to see this reported as a ‘first’ for the UCA in Sydney’s lower north. The Sydney North Presbytery of the Uniting Church has, over many years, called, inducted, ordained and commissioned a number of key leaders, who have served the lower north well, who are actively and faithfully supported by their same gender partners. As long ago as 1998, the leaders of Sydney North affirmed the emerging and ‘coming out’ leaders among them, and have continued to work (for nearly 2 decades) for better inclusion. This welcome appointment is one in a long series of steps that Presbytery has taken to value the leadership offered in faithful service by all those who would love God and serve the world God loves.