Feedback was pretty unanimous—this was an incredible event that attendees would love to see again!
On Friday, June 6th, 2025, the Chapel hosted “Queer Spirituals: Family, Friends, and Allies,” created by Juliet Jarek and facilitated by Juliet and Rev. Stanley Maszczak. It was an incredible evening of new connections, fun, getting to know each other, and deepening into our connection with inclusive metaphysical spirituality across all the spectrums of our human identities, wherever we may or may not locate ourselves on the LGBTQIA2S+ spectrums**.
This was a deeply meaningful event for me (Stanley), personally. It was beautiful to see the sanctuary and hospitality areas filled with new queer folx and Chapel regulars, including those who identify as being on the LGBTQIA2S+ spectrum, and those who do not.
It reminded me how important spaces like these are — and the unique intersection where the Chapel sits, with its values, mission, principles, and expression, and what seeing those fully embodied in new ways can look like. More on that in a bit; first, a little more about the event, in case you missed it!
Event Recap
We had a special music playlist going in the background, with LGBTQIA+ artists, themes, and related vibes from our emPower Music & Arts (Positive Music) license—you can check that out on YouTube Music here.
Different tables were set up with varying informal activities—
- one had a card game with a dice and questions designed to help participants get to know each other more;
- another table had a few Oracle decks, along with instructions for people who wanted to learn more about and connect with them for exploration or guidance from Spirit.
- Juliet offered Rune readings at another table, and
- Stanley shared brief Human Design and Tarot readings at another.
- People explored the different areas, or sat at other tables and just got to know each other during the social times.
- The table in the hospitality area had a fun rainbow tablecloth with lots of snacks and pizza.
Midway through, we had a brief discussion about inclusive metaphysical spirituality, the intersex progress pride flag and its meaning, the Universal Law/Principle of Gender, and more formally introduced the Chapel itself to the group, which, over the course of the evening, included 12 people who’d never been to the Chapel before. People shared some of their experiences with spirituality in general, and what it’s like to navigate spiritual spaces as queer people; and others of us shared how our experience at the Chapel has been so positive, affirming, and different from other “church” experiences.
Reflections
For me, last Friday night solidified the need for spaces like this in Hampton Roads. The Chapel is an extremely unique place—as we all know—and people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community are looking for affirming spaces like this to gather, to explore, to be affirmed in all the unique parts of our human identities that can often be marginalized by dominant cultural narratives and powers that don’t share the same values as the Chapel…
…values we see expressed in our Mission statement:
…or our Purpose statement:
…or in our Declaration of Principles, affirming that “soul growth and development are the purpose of life,” and that “…dedicated service is the way of life”…
…or in Our Expression:
“…We strive to operate from the point of Universal Christ Consciousness; and we accept people as we find them. We don’t seek to change anyone. People come to the Chapel because they are free thinkers. They are questioners, and they want to hear a different message than the one heard for generations and generations like a broken record…” (read more of Our Expression)
…including this powerful piece of our Expression:
I teared up more than once on Friday night; not just at the beautiful sight of queer people and affirming community members having fun together, talking, discussing, building community… but especially that it was happening so beautifully in our Chapel as we found a new, specific way to allow our metaphysical connection and expression to manifest in love in our world.
As I shared during our discussion time Friday (and have shared from the podium), I was immediately welcomed at the Chapel several years ago, as a male-presenting person wearing high heels and makeup when I walked into the Chapel for the first time. No questions asked. Just affirmation, welcoming, and hugs—the way it should be. And the Chapel has been a place of love, welcome, healing, inclusion, and spiritual development for me ever since.
May this continue to be the case now and for the Chapel’s future, and may we embody this energy even more supportively and effectively with every new embrace.
And yes… another similar event is already in the works—stay tuned!
Much love,
Stanley
PS—Big, big gratitude to Juliet for bringing the idea and submitting the event proposal… and to all our volunteers who helped make it happen (Sue, Elizabeth, Jane, and Branden)—you all rock!
**LGBTQIA2S+ spectrums: This stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and Two-Spirit. The "+" affirms that there are many other expressions that are part of the "Queer" umbrella, and that our modern understanding of the beautiful diversity of these human experiences is ever-growing. I use the word "spectrum" because each of these is a spectrum within a spectrum; most binaries are illusions; and we all may locate ourselves at different points across these varying spectrums over time.
What's important is not that everyone necessarily learn or memorize all the different parts of the acronym and their definitions—though that can be helpful—but that we continue to cultivate safe, affirming, supportive, energizing spaces where each of us is invited to bring our full selves to the table, in this regard, and beyond... fully living into our guiding values, cultivating and sharing the love and Light within each of us as we share it with all those around us.
(Shared by Stanley)
