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New Foundry pastor working on community outreach
Out ‘connecting ministries’ coordinator felt call early in life
Rev. William Green says being a closeted pastor was never an option for him even though his denomination’s official stance on homosexuality is not affirming. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Rev. William Green had two early moments that were strong clues he was heading toward a future as a pastor.
Seeing a pastor distribute communion at his home United Methodist church in Arkansas at age 6 inspired him to comment to his mother that he wanted to, “feed people like that someday.”
“It’s this kind of epic family story that gets told every family Christmas,” says Green, 29, who goes by Will.
By age 12, he started to think he might like to work in a church setting full time but he didn’t know in what capacity. Thoughts of being a youth or music minister occurred to him. But the first time he ever preached, a dramatic transformation happened during the course of his 15-minute sermon.
It was Pentecost Sunday — the day, usually in May, when the church celebrates the arrival of the Holy Ghost — and Green was overwhelmed standing in the pulpit with 15-foot-tall stained glass images of Jesus and Methodism founder John Wesley staring down at him from the back of the church.
“All I could think of was, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to wind up swearing or something instead of reading the scriptures,” he says. “I was panicked. And then I remember coming to the end of this sermon I’d written out and there was this innate feeling that this is something I can’t not do. Something about it just felt right.”
His pastor at the time helped him get started in pre-seminary mentoring and “it all kind of snowballed from there.”
Green started his current role as associate pastor/director of connecting ministries at Foundry United Methodist Church on July 3 after four years as associate pastor at First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights, Ill., where part of his ministry was devoted to LGBT believers.
Last December his partner, Philip Rothrock — a conservationist and atheist — got a job in Washington. Green had been in discussions with Foundry, widely known in the denomination as a gay-affirming church, before but he felt the time was right.
Although created two years ago, his position wasn’t filled until this year. A previous applicant wasn’t able to accept and it worked out that Green was available.
“I get to do a little bit of everything here,” he says. “I’m like one of those videos you see of an octopus running across dry land. It’s wonderful and I got my fingers in all kind of stuff from leading Bible studies and retreats to engaging people in conversations about white privilege and starting small groups all over the city.”
Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, Foundry’s senior pastor since July 2014, says Green is all the church had hoped to find for a connecting ministries pastor and more.
“He’s creative, determined and prayerful in building networks of relationship and shared ministry,” says Gaines-Cirelli. “In just six short months, Will has skillfully laid out a vision for spiritual formation and small groups and has strengthened our practices of radical hospitality.”
It’s a core reason why Green — who considered being ordained in more LGBT-affirming denominations — stayed in the United Methodist Church.
“What I landed on again and again was that the theology I feel shows the vital connection between personal faith and active service in the world was nowhere more alive than it was in the United Methodist Church,” he says. “So the theology fit me in a way that allowed me to be progressive and orthodox and gay and evangelical and all those things that are really critical to who I am. So it’s not because I grew up that way, it’s because it was the right fit.”
It wasn’t an easy decision as LGBT issues continue to rankle the denomination, the third-largest Christian denomination in the U.S. (after the Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention), with church members voting the issue was the top news story in 2016, partially inspired by the election of Bishop Karen Oliveto, a married lesbian who became the first openly gay bishop in the United Methodist Church in July. There are more than 12 million members in the denomination worldwide. In the U.S., it’s the largest mainline Protestant denomination.
At the denomination’s general conference, the council of bishops opted to delay further debate on homosexuality and name a special commission that would start exploring the issue again from scratch. Its Book of Discipline says the “practice of homosexuality (is) incompatible with Christian teaching,” though some conferences, including the Baltimore-Washington and New York conferences, have voted to ordain and license LGBT clergy.
Green and other out clergy are at risk of being charged and defrocked, though church officials have pretty much left Foundry — which has been “affirming” for 20 years — alone historically. Former long-time senior pastor Rev. Dean Snyder told the Blade in 2013 about one-third of Foundry’s 1,200 members at the time were LGBT. There might be 400-600 who come through the doors on an average Sunday. Green, who coordinates a young adult LGBT potluck group, guesses it’s about 25 percent queer.
He says attendance has been on an uptick since the election. Green says that even though Foundry is musically and aesthetically quite traditional, the church’s progressive teaching attracts those gearing up for possible “active resistance” to the Trump administration and strong stands against racism, homophobia, misogyny and xenophobia.
“This is one of the things Foundry does best,” Green says. “We have a wide diversity of people of all ages who have a wide diversity of theological expressions and an any given Sunday morning, we’re all there worshipping together. I think Foundry models the potential of progressive orthodoxy with this ability to be honest about who we are.”
Green cites “Once in Royal David’s City” as his favorite Christmas carol and “Blessed Assurance” as his favorite non-seasonal hymn. He also likes “Come Thou Fount.”
“That’s my southernness coming out,” he says. “Give me Fanny Crosby any day. I grew up singing that stuff.”
He says the Christian message epitomizes his overall convictions about living out the gospel.
“I continue to be amazed by the way in which the revelation of God to the world came in absolutely unexpected ways,” he says. “For much of the world, it was missed. We think of it as this miraculous thing that captivated the world but we forget that Mary and Joseph were immigrants, they were undocumented according to the Roman standards. He was born in a manger with shepherds there. … God comes to us all the time in unexpected ways and often we lead such busy lives that if we’re not careful, we miss it.”
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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