LSTC Student Ingrid Kieffer on Attending Q Conference 2026

Ingrid Kieffer is an MDiv Student at LSTC who remains deeply engaged in campus life, community activism, and Public Church theology. Their reflection below articulates the value they found attending Q Conference 2026. 

In mid-January 2026 I had the fortunate opportunity to attend QCF’s Annual Conference. QCF stands for Q Christian fellowship. It is a welcoming organization for all those in the LGBTQIA2S+ community, but also for families who have loved ones who are Queer. This conference was interdenominational, with people who might not believe in a God, or who are coming back to the Church after being harmed by the institution in the past. The theme for this conference, the second Q conference I attended, was “Anchored” and the verse for the conference was Hebrews 6:19-20a. 

Both experiences at Q allowed opportunities for fellowship with other Queer Christians. I found great value in being in a safe space, where we don’t have to explain to others why God uniquely made us this way, in a space where I don’t have to constantly correct people when they use the wrong pronouns for me. In this safe space we could all just for a couple days escape the crazy and chaotic country where we are living. To laugh, to have fun, and experience respite.

One of the most important parts of the conference was the liturgical service where attendees had the opportunity to listen to an extremely meaningful sermon from Rev. Jae Bates who is an ELCA pastor from Minneapolis-St. Paul area. At this event, we had the opportunity to experience Rev. Bates powerful words, especially laden with meaning as they were coming to us just after the deaths of activists Alex Pretti and Renee Good. One takeaway for me from this sermon was around wrestling with dissonance. As Rev. Bates said, “The Gospel is supposed to be dissonant. It is meant to defy and challenge all that the human ways of power and authority have deemed ‘right.’ The Gospel is supposed to dig into the Not Yet parts of our world and make you yearn for the Kingdom to come here on Earth as it is in Heaven.” 

I took the long way on an Amtrak train from Portland to Chicago when I returned from the conference. I used this time to be amazed by the creation that God made. To think deeply on how we can better care for each other. During the train trip back, I prayed and wrote prayers for my Episcopal Ministry in Context congregation. Now, in sharing this experience more widely, I’d like to end with this prayer: 

God of Gratefulness; we give thanks for all who are supporting each other in the face of oppression and who have continued to come to the need of their neighbor. We pray that you give us strength and courage to face the journey ahead.

Amen