Contagious Welcome

Angie Morris has always struggled to find a church that would accept her as a gay woman. As a young teenager, while attending the Catholic Church, she began to question her sexuality. After a challenging experience, Angie decided to leave the Catholic Church as a senior in high school.

After many years, Angie realized that she missed her faith. She began attending a non-denominational church, and it felt good to be back in church and spiritually filled again.

Then Angie moved to Myrtle Beach to be close to her daughter, Jessica, and her baby granddaughter, Morgan. “I struggled to find a church again,” Angie said. “Then I saw the pride flag that Pastor Jason hung in his window at church. It was the first welcoming sign I had seen since moving to Myrtle Beach.”

Angie began attending services at St. Philip and felt a genuine welcome that moved her to join the church. She wanted Morgan to have a life grounded in faith, so she began bringing her to church. Then, Jessica started attending as well. Angie loves watching Morgan, and now her second granddaughter, Bailey, participate weekly in the Children’s Message. “It feels like Pastor Jason is talking directly to me with his sermon,” Angie said.

“Pastor Jason’s sermons and the music program with choirs, bells, and violins make for an exciting service every week,” she shared. As an active member of St Philip, Angie serves as an assisting minister, participates in the annual Chili Cook-Off, and assists with Vacation Bible School. St. Philip welcomed Angie so openly that she felt able to invite her family to attend with her, and there are now four generations of her family attending St. Philip.

The genuine love and welcome of Christ are contagious. Thank you, St. Philip, for being a place of contagious welcome.