Sara Rabe is an ordained Minister under the United Church of Christ and has been ordained since 2001. She was raised on a dairy farm where financials were okay, but she took it upon herself to always help with the needs of the farm for her family. When Rabe was 13, she received the call to become a minister and began her path toward it. While going through the call for ministry, Rabe had an ongoing battle with themselves as they struggled with their sexual identity.

Throughout her life, she was taught to “fear their sexuality” and had little to no exposure to gay people around her. She lived very sheltered, and difficult things around her about the LGBTQIA+ community were always said to the point that she mirrored the feelings shown. But in their self-consciousness, they knew that they had different preferences, and after marriage with their best friend with three kids, they came out as being bisexual. “My self-conscious was screaming to be let out,” said Rabe. She knew she was still denying her true self and soon divorced and remarried to her wife Amy. People around Rabe in her church and many others continued to struggle to find comfort in LGBTQIA+ being a part of their church groups.

Only 25% of the churches were willing to accept the process of being more open and affirming to LGBTQIA+ members. With this struggle, it was hard for Rabe to find a church home accepting her as a lesbian pastor. She soon found the Congregational UCC church home, where she received the call to be the pastor. As the pastor of the Congregational UCC, she has her doors open to all and gives nothing but acceptance and love to those who are willing. “The church is a place of safety. People who are trying to be invisible and those who try to tread lightly are able to feel safe and receive a warm welcome at our church.” Rabe said during the interview.

During Pride Week on Friday, March 31, from 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm, we had the honor of having Pastor Rabe give a sermon for the Lakeland students and faculty to hear her words of wisdom for all to hear a Lakeland Alumni who is LGBTQIA+. “The final words of wisdom I want to give to the students and the younger generation would be that the interconnectedness of all things is something that will allow each of us to reach our potential, and I am proud to graduate from the institution because it interconnects our diversity and humanity for students who are going out into the unknown of being doctors, educators, and other potential jobs. They will be able to gain a sense of interconnectedness and be able to build upon it to that we may lift ourselves to new potential.” Rabe said.