• New York clergy member tells congregation she has been on hormone therapy for three months
• Announcement comes after denomination lifted decades-old ban on LGBTQ clergy last year
• Pastor’s parents texted morning of service asking her to share they do not support decision

ROCHESTER, NY (TDR) — Rev. Dr. Phillippa Phaneuf stood before her congregation at North Chili United Methodist Church on November 23 and shared a truth she had carried for decades. The 51-year-old pastor, previously known as Phillip, came out as transgender during the Sunday service in what became a deeply personal moment of vulnerability and joy.

“I get to announce with joy that I’m transitioning,” Phaneuf told the congregation while wearing a rainbow stole. “I’m affirming and saying to all of you that I am transgender, and so the best way to put this is that I’m not becoming a woman, I’m giving up pretending to be a man.”

NEW: New York pastor tells congregation that he is no longer a male and is undergoing gender transition to become a woman.

51-year-old Reverend Phil Phaneuf of North Chili United Methodist Church told his congregation he was “giving up pretending to be a man.”

“Are my parents… pic.twitter.com/oPQ2xiCja9

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 3, 2025

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A Carefully Prepared Revelation

Phaneuf, who has led the small Rochester-area church since 2019, spent the final ten minutes of the worship service helping congregants understand what her transition would mean for their community. She explained that she had already consulted with church leadership before making the announcement public.

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The pastor confirmed she has been undergoing hormone replacement therapy for three months. She described the experience as transformative, telling those gathered that within the first week she felt truly happy for the first time in a very long time.

“Within that first week, I was really, truly happy for the first time in a very long time, and that’s a beautiful thing, and that’s what we want for the people in our lives, isn’t it?”

Phaneuf also shared that she identifies as asexual and is not seeking romantic relationships. She asked congregants to use she/her pronouns but promised not to become the “pronoun police,” expressing confidence that no one would misgender her out of malice.

Parental Rejection Amid Church Support

The most emotional moment came when Phaneuf addressed her family situation. Her parents had texted her the morning of the service with a difficult request.

“Are my parents okay with this? Absolutely not,” she told the congregation. “They texted me this morning, and they asked for me to tell you all that they do not support me. They have chosen their convictions and their beliefs over supporting their child.”

Despite her parents’ rejection, Phaneuf emphasized that she is surrounded by love from friends and her church community. She told Fox News that since coming out, her congregation has been “overwhelmingly affirming.”

Denomination’s Historic Shift

Phaneuf’s announcement arrives during a period of significant change for the United Methodist Church. At the 2024 General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, delegates voted overwhelmingly to lift the denomination’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy. The vote passed 692-51, reversing policies that had been in place since 1984.

The conference also removed language from church documents that had described homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” The denomination now affirms human sexuality as “a sacred gift” that applies to all persons regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

These changes followed years of internal conflict that saw approximately 7,600 congregations leave the denomination between 2019 and 2023. Many of those departing churches formed or joined the more conservative Global Methodist Church.

Continuing Ministry

Phaneuf made clear that her pastoral duties will not change. She plans to adopt the name Phillippa Faye Phaneuf but told congregants they could still call her Phil, Reverend Phil, or Pastor Phil. She added with a touch of humor that she would prefer not to be called “Dr. Phil.”

The pastor acknowledged that her appearance, voice, and clothing would continue to evolve as her transition progresses. She noted there is no such thing as “girls’ clothes or boys’ clothes” and thanked her congregation for never judging her on her appearance.

North Chili United Methodist Church describes itself as a small congregation in a sub-rural town outside Rochester. The church holds Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. and maintains an active online presence through livestreaming.

How will stories like Phaneuf’s shape the future of religious communities navigating questions of identity and inclusion?

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