A pastor in New York left her congregation stunned with the surprising announcement that she is transitioning to a woman and will now be recognized using she/her pronouns.

Reverend Phil Phaneuf, aged 51, who was assigned male at birth, shared her personal journey of gender transition with the members of North Chili United Methodist Church (UMC) during a recent Sunday service.

Clad in a rainbow stole, the seasoned pastor joyfully exclaimed, “I am thrilled to announce my transition. I am affirming to all of you that I am transgender.”

She further explained, “It’s not about becoming a woman; it’s about ceasing to pretend to be a man.”

Phaneuf also revealed to the congregation that she will adopt the name Phillippa Faye Phaneuf but will continue to be addressed as ‘Reverend Phil.’

‘I’m not going to be the pronoun police,’ she told the crowd. ‘I don’t think that anybody will misgender or mis-pronoun out of malice.’ 

The religious leader assured church members that the only changes stemming from her transition will be physical ones, noting that she has been undergoing hormone replacement therapy for about three months already.  

Still, she said that her commitment to Jesus Christ and the ministry will remain the same. 

 Reverend Phil Phaneuf, 51, of the North Chili United Methodist Church, came out as transgender during a Sunday sermon

Phaneuf said she has been undergoing hormone replacement therapy for three months 

The announcement came as a surprise to the North Chili church, where she has preached since 2019, and beyond – with her bombshell sermon recirculating across the internet. 

But Phaneuf said the UMC is ‘absolutely’ on board with her decision to come out – but could not say the same about her family. 

‘Are my parents okay with this? Absolutely not,’ Phaneuf bluntly admitted. 

‘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.’ 

While many Christians consider homosexuality and transgenderism a sin, the UMC, which has roughly 12.5 million members across the globe, has become more accepting of varying identities in recent years. 

In May 2024, the General Conference – the highest legislative body of the UMC – made the controversial decision to remove bans on the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy members. 

The governing body also ruled that same-sex marriages may be celebrated within the church. These changes went into effect in January. 

In one notable change, the General Conference removed all language from the Book of Discipline – the doctrinal guide of the UMC – that insinuates that homosexuality is a sin. 

The text previously states that ‘the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.’

Pictured: the UMC in North Chili, New York, where Phaneuf is a pastor 

Phaneuf in earlier years, before she began her gender transition

But the UMC now believes that human sexuality is a ‘sacred gift’, as noted in its Revised Social Principles.

The UMC website reads: ‘Though the topic of sexuality has been debated within the denomination, all people are welcome in the church and encouraged to follow their call for ministry and mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.’ 

Following the updated rules on homosexuality, the UMC lost more than a million members overnight.  

Speaking on her own experience, Phaneuf asked: ‘If you felt the Holy Spirit surrounding you in ways that you haven’t felt in years, would you have a sense that might be something that God’s okay with?’

During the 12-minute sermon, she explained that gender identity and sexual orientation are separate concepts, taking the opportunity to come out as asexual. 

‘I’ve been that way since we’ve all been together,’ she told the audience. ‘I’m not living my life in such a way that I am looking for romance.’ 

Phaneuf said that North Chili UMC will be offering educational resources about the LGBTQ+ community to its members.

She also said that her coming out will make the church a more welcoming place for ‘marginalized’ individuals. 

In an email to the Daily Mail, Phaneuf said that she and the church will begin ‘learning together’ using the Jeannie Gainsburg book ‘The Savvy Ally,’ which instructs people on how to be respectful toward members of the LGBTQ+ community. 

Phaneuf also said: ‘Since the announcement in church, my congregation has been very affirming.’