Bering Church: A legacy of compassion and inclusion

October is LGBTQ+ History Month. It's a time to recognize the people, places, and milestones that have shaped the fight for equality and acceptance.

For Bering Church, that history is woven into its community. Founded in 1848, the church has witnessed generations of change, including the transformation of its surrounding Montrose neighborhood in the 1970s, when a growing LGBTQ+ population began calling the area home.

As the neighborhood evolved, the church embraced its new neighbors and created a welcoming space rooted in faith and inclusion.

When the HIV/AIDS crisis began in the 1980s, there was an enormous amount of unknown information regarding what caused it, how it spread, and how to treat it. That left many patients feeling alone and struggling to find support.

In the video above, you can see how Bering Church took the lead, becoming one of the first in the country to provide dental care and hospice care for people with HIV.