peter@transmissionministry.com

Collective of Queer Christian Leaders Statement on U.S. v. Skrmetti On the morning of June 18th, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the state of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth in U.S. v. Skrmetti in a 6-3 decision. This comes in addition to executive actions by the Trump Administration that seek to cut off access for people under the age of 19. Twenty-five states currently have adopted such bans. A recent study commissioned by GOP members of Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services found that gender-affirming care for transgender youth generated overwhelmingly positive mental health and psychosocial outcomes. [...]

Transmission Ministry Collective Celebrates 5 Years with New Mission and Vision For immediate release This March, Transmission Ministry Collective will celebrate its five year anniversary.  Transmission Ministry Collective (TMC) was founded in March 2020 as an online community by and for trans people from Christian backgrounds, with a single support group meeting once a week. We are now made up of more than 500 gender-expansive folks, primarily in North America but also representing at least 8 other countries. Our programs and missional focus have expanded to include six support groups, a 24/7 online community space, opportunities for in-person community [...]

Miche Van Essen joins Transmission Ministry Collective as new Co-Executive Director Of Operations For immediate release Minneapolis, Minnesota - Transmission Ministry Collective (TMC) is excited to announce the hiring of Miche Ilana van Essen as the organization’s new Co-Executive Director of Operations. Miche will join Co-Executive Director of Community Engagement Micah Melody Taberner in leading TMC, as the organization continues to build an online community dedicated to the spiritual care, faith formation, and leadership potential of transgender and gender-expansive Christians. "I am incredibly excited to work alongside Miche!” said Micah Melody. “Her skill in strategic leadership and her passion [...]

Transmission Ministry Collective is excited to announce its nation-wide search for a co-Executive Director! When TMC was founded in 2020, our first board, alongside founder and Executive Director Austen Hartke, intentionally built in structures that would ensure a diversity of leadership perspectives. This included limiting the term of the Executive Director role to no more than 5 years. With Austen in the fourth year of his time in that role, we have now begun the process of leadership transition. As part of this process, TMC will be shifting from having one Executive Director to two Co-Executive Directors, allowing greater [...]

Transition as an act of co-creation in partnership with the Divine TMC's Community Care Coordinator, Micah Melody Taberner, recently had her work featured on Religion News Service! Her reflection on transition as co-creation was developed as part of her graduate studies at Pacific School of Religion. Read the full piece here. You can also hear Micah Melody discuss this idea and others in an upcoming presentation, "PSR Engage: Toward a Transgender Ethic of Liberation," on Tuesday, June 20th at 4:00 pm PST. Register for this free, online event here. Image: Jason Reed/Daily Dot

LGBTQ Christians are using Instagram to protest the ex-gay, ex-trans movement Thank you to the Daily Dot for their recent piece highlighting the work of affirming communities of LGBTI2A+ Christians like TMC and the UNCHANGED Movement, including thoughts from our Program Coordinator Micah Melody! Read the full piece here. Image: Jason Reed/Daily Dot

Minnesota-based collective supports transgender Christians worldwide Thank you to Cathy Wurzer at Minnesota Public Radio for a great conversation with our Executive Director, Austen Hartke, on his experience as a trans Christian and the history and mission of TMC. Listen or read the full transcript here!

Trans religious leaders say scripture should inspire inclusive congregations "...it's part of Jesus's call to abundant life. It's not desecration; it's co-creation. Holy work." Our Executive Director, Austen Hartke, recently had the opportunity to share some thoughts with Deena Prichep at NPR Chicago, for a piece on how trans people are leading in the church. Check out the full piece here!