After a long search, the Rev. Ruth Jensen-Forbell has found a place where she can make a difference, regardless of being a lesbian. This place is her church, The First Coast Metropolitan Community Church in St. Augustine.
This Jacksonville native, born March 25, 1946, has been involved in church her entire life. Adopted at birth, Jensen-Forbell followed the footsteps of her adoptive parents. Her mother Frieda Jensen was actively involved in the Lutheran church, introducing faith to Jensen-Forbell. Her father Walter Jensen has inspired her with his words.
“My father would always tell me ‘there is nothing you can’t do, if you work hard enough’,” Jensen-Forbell said.
At age 12, Jensen-Forbell felt “a calling” to become a pastor, but at that time, women could not hold that position. This was the one time in her life where her gender prohibited her from doing what she wanted.
Jensen-Forbell however soon found other ways to become active in her local church, including teaching Sunday school and singing in a church choir. At this time, she was also attending Terry Parker High School in Jacksonville, and graduated in 1964. She then attended Florida State University.
Due to the St. Johns commission and sexual discrimination, Jensen-Forbell felt forced to leave FSU after two years, and she was unable to complete her major in music education.
After dropping out of college, she played the piano for Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. She was also involved in the Lutheran Church Woman. In 1970, the church started ordaining woman, however, Jensen-Forbell’s sexuality still stood in the way. Any woman who took a role in the church could not be openly homosexual. This restriction posed a problem for Jensen-Forbell, as she has been open about her sexuality her entire life. She believes she was born a lesbian and that is who she is.
“I believe homosexuality is genetic. I don’t know why anyone would willingly choose this lifestyle that most people condemn or look down upon,” Jensen-Forbell said.
In 1974, at age 28, Jensen-Forbell was the youngest woman to be elected President of LCW. She held this position for both her local church and for the state of Florida.
In 1981, Jensen-Forbell attended the University of Central Florida and graduated in 1983 with a degree in educational media.
While studying at UCF, Jensen-Forbell found a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender accepting church, the Metropolitan Community Church. She left her previous church to join the MCC. Here, she met her current partner of 18 years, Elizabeth Forbell. The two joined during a holy union in 1988. Both considered adopting children, but it is illegal for lesbian partners to adopt in Florida.
After graduating from UCF, Jensen-Forbell had several jobs, in addition to working at the church part-time. These included working at Winn Dixie, designing and selling audiovisual equipment and teaching as an elementary school media specialist for 10 years at Martin Luther King Elementary School in Jacksonville.
In 1996, Jensen-Forbell was ordained at the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Church. One year later, she earned a full-time position as the founding pastor of her church, FCMCC. She founded this church with a mission statement that states it is a Christian church, celebrating the unconditional love of God for all people.
“The thing I most enjoy about my job is allowing people to connect with their God and seeing how it changes their life,” Jensen-Forbell said.
Jensen-Forbell is involved in many local organizations, as well as the church. These include Equality Florida, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Community AIDS Coalition of St. Augustine and the Would Jesus Discriminate? Campaign. WJD is a program that promotes the idea that Jesus would not discriminate against gender, race or sexual orientation, among other things.
Jensen-Forbell is also the founder of the St. Augustine Pride Committee, a gay rights organization, which is now run by the community.
“Out of all these things, my best accomplishment in life is the fact that our church here is making a difference in St. Augustine,” Jensen-Forbell said.
Jensen-Forbell is relieved she has found a place where she matters, without denying her sexuality.
“If I could give advice to anyone it would be for everyone to be true to who you are,” Jensen-Forbell said.
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