Yvette Flunder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yvette Flunder |
|
---|---|
![]() Flunder singing at 2011 San Francisco Pride
|
|
Church | United Church of Christ |
Personal details | |
Born | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
July 29, 1955
Spouse | Shirley Miller |
Yvette A. Flunder, born on July 29, 1955, is an American preacher, pastor, and singer from San Francisco, California. She is known for her work as an activist and for her unique approach to faith. She leads the City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, California. She also serves as the Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries.
Contents
Yvette Flunder's Early Life and Education
Yvette Flunder grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and Mississippi. She is of African American heritage. She attended the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) Saints Academy in Lexington, Mississippi. After high school, she returned to California.
In 1984, Flunder began singing with Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Choir. She was a lead singer in the choir. Walter Hawkins later ordained her as a minister.
Flunder continued her education, earning a degree from College of San Mateo. She then studied at the Pacific School of Religion. There, she received a Certificate of Ministry Studies and a Master of Arts degree in 1997. In 2001, she earned her Doctor of Ministry degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Leading a Welcoming Ministry
In 2000, Yvette Flunder started the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries. This group brings together different Christian churches. These churches want to share the idea of Jesus Christ's welcoming love for everyone. In 2003, she became the Presiding Bishop of this fellowship.
Flunder believes in a type of theology called "womanist." This means her faith focuses on the experiences and wisdom of Black women. She also believes in "liberation theology." This idea teaches that faith should help people become free from unfairness.
In 2005, she wrote a book called Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion. This book shares her ideas about creating welcoming communities. She was also one of the first religious leaders to support Carlton Pearson. He was a pastor whose religious ideas were seen as different from the main group.
In 2013, the Pacific School of Religion honored her as a Distinguished Alumna. On December 1, 2014, Flunder was a main speaker at the White House for World AIDS Day. She talked about how unfair treatment and prejudice can harm people living with HIV. She also spoke about how it affects education about AIDS. The next year, she spoke at the American Baptist College's Garnett-Nabrit Lecture Series.
Since 2015, Flunder has been on the board of trustees for the Starr King School for the Ministry. She also served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.
Yvette Flunder's spouse is Shirley Miller. Shirley Miller is the cousin of Walter Hawkins. They have been partners since the mid-1980s.
Yvette Flunder's Community Work
Bishop Flunder grew up deeply connected to the church. Her family helped start churches in the Bay Area.
From a young age, Flunder showed her belief in treating everyone with value and fairness. In 1986, she felt called to help people affected by the HIV/AIDS health crisis of the 1980s. She started several non-profit groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. These groups offered help to people living with HIV. They included Hazard-Ashley House, Walker House, and Restoration House. These were part of the Ark of Refuge, Inc., which later became the Y. A. Flunder Foundation.
In 1991, she founded the City of Refuge under the United Church of Christ. Her goal was to combine religious ministry with social work. She describes the City of Refuge UCC as a place to create a spiritual community. This community welcomes all cultures, faith paths, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. It also aims to free people from unfair religious ideas. These ideas might treat women badly, disrespect the LGBT community, or ignore issues of fairness. The Transcendence Gospel Choir was a choir connected to the City of Refuge. It was the first all-transgender choir in the United States.
Flunder also shares her work online. In 2021, she was part of a discussion called "Fire and Desire." This event was hosted by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. They talked about Black male gospel music.
Yvette Flunder in Media
Yvette Flunder's life and work have been shown in television and film. Actress Phylicia Rashad played her in the mini-series When We Rise. This show aired on ABC in March 2017. Her role in the show highlighted the church's kindness. It also showed the dedication of its leaders. The church provided a loving home in a mostly African-American community in San Francisco.
Joni Bovill also played Flunder in the film Come Sunday. This movie was shown at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. It was released on Netflix in April 2018.
Flunder is active on social media. She uses her platforms to speak up for Black lives and queer lives. She also advocates for easier access to medical care. She works to remove unfair ideas about people living with HIV.
In 2021, Flunder was featured in PBS's program "The Black Church: This is our story, this is our song."
Yvette Flunder's Books
- Where the Edge Gathers
- Birthing the Sermon: Women Preachers on the Creative Process
- Those Preaching Women: A Multicultural Collection
- Queer Christianities: Lived Religion in Transgressive Forms