We write to acknowledge that we have heard your voices. As you know, it’s not news to us that there are LGBT members of the Westmont community, or that being here can be painful.

We write, not representing Westmont, but simply as your former professors and, we trust, your lifelong friends. We write, too, as more senior Westmont faculty members, affirming our shared commitments, and striving—always imperfectly— to live in accordance with the Community Life Statement, just as you did while you were here with us. We experience daily the privilege of being a part of this community, teaching and working with students like you.

We are saddened, though unfortunately not surprised, to read of the doubt, loneliness and fear you felt while you were here. We ask your forgiveness for ways we might have added to your pain. We share your hope for richer, more gracious dialogue on issues of human sexuality that trouble the church and that have too often been neglectful of the minority voices among us.

There’s more to say obviously, and we will work in other ways to say more. We can’t promise to say it in ways you find perfect, but we hope you’ll stay in dialogue with us, and with your churches. It’s wonderful to hear from good friends. Thank you for writing.

Grace and Peace,

Karen Andrews

John Blondell

Grey Brothers

Steve Butler

Alister Chapman

Steve Cook

Lisa DeBoer

Paul Delaney

Mary Docter

Deborah Dunn

Leonor Elías

Ron Enroth

Tom Fikes

Bruce Fisk

Chris Hoeckley

Dave Hunter

Patti Hunter

Wayne Iba

Thomas Jayawardene

Ken Kihlstrom

Kim Kihlstrom

Cheri Larsen Hoeckley

Chandra Mallampalli

David Marten

Eileen McMahon

Bill Nelson

Mark Nelson

Allan Nishimura

Edd Noell

Susan Penksa

Frank Percival

Helen Rhee

Marianne Robins

Warren Rogers

Ray Rosentrater

Sue Savage

Russell Smelley

Brenda Smith

Michael Sommermann

Jim Taylor

Mitchell Thomas

Niva Tro

David VanderLaan

Randy VanderMey