Presbyterian Church in Anderson, South Carolina, Hires Supply Pastor Who Has Discussed Gender Transition

North Anderson Community Church Presbyterian Church in Anderson, South Carolina, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), has announced that it hired Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter to lead the church. Buchleiter will serve as supply pastor, which the report describes as a temporary minister for a congregation that is not seeking an installed, permanent pastor. North Anderson is a small congregation, with average attendance of about 20 to 30 people.

Buchleiter studied at Moody Bible Institute, later received a bachelor’s degree in communications and Christian ministry from Dallas Baptist University, and earned a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. The report states that in 2021 Buchleiter became the first trans-identifying person ordained by a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-affiliated congregation.

In a 2023 book review in Christian Century, Buchleiter discussed transition and identified as intersex. Buchleiter wrote: “My journey in discovering my intersex variations and navigating gender dysphoria challenged my addiction to answers and pushed me toward what [author of the book being reviewed] calls an ‘acceptance of the space around the lines as a necessary part of the image itself.'” In an interview on the “Gay with God” podcast, Buchleiter said that the transition contributed to a spouse leaving the marriage, and stated that Buchleiter identifies as a lesbian because of a continued attraction to women.

In a Facebook post announcing the move, Buchleiter wrote of “moving to Anderson, SC, the first of August,” which would end “a three-month nomadic season of life.” Buchleiter said the part-time position would leave time “to keep working on other jobs and projects.”

The report says the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has become increasingly accepting of LGBTQ+ leadership and support within its general doctrine. It states that in July the denomination voted overwhelmingly in favor of transgender surgeries in children, a vote taken at the church’s 227th General Assembly.

The denomination is also requiring member churches to indicate whether they are willing to have an LGBTQ+ pastor lead their congregation. Churches must complete a document called a Ministry Discernment Profile to state their stance on hiring LGBTQ+ pastors, a requirement that calls for honest dealing about a congregation’s hiring stance (Proverbs 11:1).

The report describes the denomination as continuing to embrace liberal theology while experiencing dwindling membership. It says the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) lost more than 26,000 members and 128 congregations in 2025, and has lost over 1 million members since 2000.

Source: Read the original report