North Anderson Community Church Presbyterian (PCUSA) in Anderson, South Carolina, has appointed the Rev. Laura Bethany Buchleiter as its stated supply pastor. The small congregation, which averages 20 to 30 Sunday attendees, welcomed Buchleiter last month, as reported by the LGBT outlet Qnotes Carolina.
Buchleiter, an alumnus of Moody Bible Institute, previously made history in 2021 by becoming the first openly transgender person ordained by a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-affiliated congregation, University Baptist Church in Bloomington, Indiana. Addressing critics of transgender clergy in a 2021 interview, Buchleiter defended identity diversity as a reflection of divine creativity rather than an affront to God. Furthermore, Buchleiter shared a personal medical history involving an intersex condition, framing bodily uniqueness as evidence of a master Creator operating beyond traditional gender binaries.
In a podcast interview earlier this year, Buchleiter discussed personal challenges, including a divorce partly attributed to the transition, and navigating a lesbian identity while maintaining an attraction to women. Explaining the origins of the chosen name, Buchleiter noted that “Laura” derives from the Latin laurel wreath symbolizing victory, while “Bethany” references the biblical town where Jesus raised Lazarus—a metaphor likened to the process of transitioning into a new life.
The appointment aligns with the broader trajectory of the Presbyterian Church (USA), which has trended increasingly progressive over recent decades. While the denomination remains the largest Presbyterian body in the United States, it faces steep membership declines, dropping from over 2.5 million members in 2000 to just over 1 million last year, including a loss of more than 26,000 members and 128 congregations in 2025 alone.
About North Anderson Community Church Presbyterian (PCUSA):
From the website:
An inclusive faith community that values questions and the journey to the answers.
A check of the church leadership reveals that the majority of roles are filled by lesbians. I’m sure the Presbyterian Church USA is very proud.
