Churchgoing drag queen welcomed by Calgary congregation as 'one of the girls'

At the last Advent servicebefore Christmas,Mz. Rhonda took to thepulpit atShepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Calgary, decked out in herSunday best.

She sparkled in her finery, sang along with the hymnsand read a poem wishing Jesus a happy birthday.

It's a meaningful moment for Mz. Rhonda, thealias of Ron Eberly, who says she never expected to feel welcome as a gay man under God's roof let alone whiledressed in drag.

"To me it's part of my life and it's part of who I am if I can be accepted that way as well as worshipping as Ron, that means a lot," she said.

Eberlygrew up in a Christian home with a pastor for a father.

"So church was always a part of my life and my faith in God is very important to me. And even though after coming out it was very hard to find a safe place just to be Ron, let alone Mz. Rhonda.

"If you had told me Mz. Rhonda would be in a congregation and welcomed and loved in the way I am you would have been off your head. But here we are."

Both Eberly and his husband attend the church, where they've been welcomed by the congregation.

Mz. Rhonda was even invited to join the ladies' bible study.

"It has been a real godsend for this congregation to have these conversations to know what this is all about and know what this is like," said Pastor Deborah Kerr.

"She's just one of the girls."

Kerr said the Lutheran church welcomes believers from all walks of life, andsome less accepting congregations have left the Lutheran denominationfor thatreason.

"I think that it is very important for us as a church to be able to accept people as they are," said Kerr.

Mz. Rhonda also visits other congregations to speak about bullying and LGBTQ issues and when she's not at church, she performs at local drag shows in the city.

"Yes, I'm a good church girl, but I also have fun too," shesaid.

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