Ramirez, who uses the pronouns they/them, wanted a place where they could feel at ease and fully accepted, but nothing they’d encountered in the Los Angeles area fit.
Ramirez’s search led them to Hollywood Lutheran Church, where Joseph Castañeda-Carrera served as pastor.
Supported in part by grants from the churchwide organization and the ELCA Southwest California Synod, which are funded by Mission Support, ADORE LA is driven and led by people of color and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Designed for LGBTQ+ people from across the country and from all walks of life to share life and faith experiences.
As church buildings were shuttered and some congregations struggled to stream worship online during the COVID-19 pandemic, ADORE LA didn’t skip a beat.
It was already using digital channels and messaging apps such as GroupMe to engage members. The faith community used the time to innovate and enhance its ministry, Castañeda-Carrera said.
Ramirez is grateful for their faith home at ADORE LA.