What We Believe
We are all God’s beloved. All of humanity and all of creation are joined in beloved community. Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).
Together we are black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, young and old, cis– and transgender. We have differing physical abilities and mental illnesses — and we don’t. We speak English and/or other languages.
We come from every sort of faith background — and no faith background at all. We engage differences of belief, differences of opinion, and differences of style. And it’s all good. Together, we navigate the joys and discomforts of inclusive community.
All people are welcome here, regardless of race, gender identity, (dis)ability, age, size, ethnicity, immigration status, sexual orientation, education, income, or religious background — or lack thereof. We say that and we mean it. May you know you are Beloved.
Our Core Pillars
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We make a public covenant of welcome into our full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. We endeavor to practice an incarnational love across all of our differences.
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We are an intentionally diverse, inclusive, grace-filled community where people from all walks of life come together to grow in relationship with God and with one another. Beloved is a place of hope and discomfort, of joy and meaning.
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We work for racial and economic justice, support immigrants, promote peace and inclusion for differently abled people, and believe in stewardship of this world. We are guided by our covenant, commitment to restorative justice, and efforts to embody the fruit of the spirit.
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Having open hearts means growing in our understanding of God's love. Our Bible studies cover social justice, lectures from Biblical scholars, discussions of essays/films and weekly passages. Sermons tackle difficult issues today and what it means to be a Christian in this age.
Our Pastors
Dollie Howell Pankey
(she/her) Reverend Dr.
Reverend Dr. Dollie Howell Pankey’s life shows how proximity creates opportunities to impact others. Ordained in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, she serves as a theological educator of Worship and Church Music at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, a chaplain at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham, and worship pastor at Beloved Community Church (UCC).
She is also a community activist, recording artist D’ Marie, and workshop facilitator. A lifelong learner, she earned her Doctor of Pastoral Music degree from Southern Methodist University in May 2025. Through her gifts and calling, she brings healing and hope, drawing others closer to God’s love.
Sally Harris (she/her)
Reverend
The Rev. Sally Harris, a native of Birmingham, serves as Teaching Pastor and shares Congregational Care Pastor duties at Beloved. She is also Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Bessemer. In addition, she was Interim Pastor at Pilgrim Congregational Church and has served a number of United Methodist Churches around the state.
Sally is a gifted teacher — as her Wednesday Bible study group will attest — and faithful and compassionate pastoral caregiver, spending much of her time sitting with folks in need. She loves spending time with her great-nieces who teach her the ways of the younger generations.
Sonya Gravlee (she/her)
Reverend
The Rev. Sonya Gravlee, a Birmingham native, spent 25 years out west after graduating from Samford. In Texas, she earned an MDiv and was ordained as a UCC pastor, then simultaneously pastored a rural UCC and directed an ecumenical campus ministry.
In California, Rev Sonya pursued a PhD at CGU and taught Gen Ed classes at the University of La Verne. She returned home in 2010 where she cheerfully embraces the moniker of PhD dropout and former hospital chaplain.
At Beloved, Rev. Sonya spearheads weekly communications and serves as one of our Congregational Care Pastors. For fun, she devours stories of all kinds.
Vincent Perry (he/him)
Minister of Music
Vincent Perry is a highly accomplished musician, educator, and bandleader with a distinguished career spanning multiple genres and roles. A former NCOIC of the 313th Army Show Band, he also served as the woodwind group leader, principal oboist, keyboardist, and media specialist.
Vince has made significant contributions to the blues and jazz scenes, having performed as a keyboardist for blues legend Lattimore and designed B3 organ sounds for Bobby “Blue” Bland. He has also been a member of the esteemed Chuck Clarke Quintet.
Our Church Council
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Denyse has been a member of Beloved for more than two decades, serving in a variety of roles and focusing particularly on issues of immigration. She also serves as the moderator of the Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ. A semi-retired nephrologist from UAB, she enjoys tennis, travel, reading, and mentoring young students as they decide on their college futures.
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Marti is a freelance writer who joined Beloved several years ago, despite being a survivor of church trauma and believing she would never be comfortable in a church setting again. When she visited Beloved, she discovered a church family who was understanding, supportive, and patient as she made her way towards wholeness.
Marti is passionate about peace, the environment, and social justice and is thrilled to have found a community that supports and encourages her efforts to bring God’s kin-dom to our world today.She is married to David and enjoys keeping up with her grown children, three cats, and flock of chickens. When she can find the time, she reads and quilts.
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Molly is a long-time Beloved Church member whose mother Joan Burns was one of the church’s founders. Her two girls were the first to be baptized in the church.
Molly’s volunteer work has largely focused on a number of food ministries that the church has supported over its history.
Molly is married to David, and in her work life leads AdventureKEEN Publishing, an independent book publisher focused on nonfiction topics related to nature and outdoors.
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Hannah moved to Birmingham for college and fell in love with the city, calling it home for over a decade now with their wife Angel and five cats. After a life of not fitting in at church and struggling with their personal faith, they met former Beloved pastor, Jennifer Sanders, at a queer southern literary event and decided to try out Beloved Community Church. They’ve been coming ever since, after finding a truly accepting community in Beloved.
During the week, they work at Birmingham AIDS Outreach providing HIV and Hepatitis C education, testing, and support to folks in recovery spaces. On the weekend, they put their MA in English (University of Montevallo) to work at Sanctum Comics. In their own time, they are an advocate for harm reduction and active in various other mutual aid endeavors.
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Tiffany, a Mobile, Alabama native, has lived in Birmingham since 2010. She originally moved here to attend UAB, but she loved the city and decided to stay.
She works as a physical therapist assistant, and her wife Chelsea is a librarian. They enjoy spending time with friends and getting outdoors. Tiffany especially loves camping and fishing. As members of Beloved Community, they hope to embody all of the core values that Beloved believes in and practices.
How We Govern
We strive for consensus-based decision making whenever possible, as well as for broad input reflecting our congregationalist approach.
At the root of every decision are the questions, “Is it loving, kind and compassionate? Does it serve the ‘least of these?’ Does it help us walk in the ways of Jesus?”
We have a church council that helps guide our ongoing lay ministries. Each month on the fourth Wednesday night, the congregation gathers at 6 p.m. on Zoom for our Community Life Meeting.
During this meeting the church council updates the congregation on developments in our life together as they listen to questions and concerns from the community.
A Brief History of Beloved
On Pentecost Sunday in the year 2000, a group of hopeful seekers from all walks of life met to enact their dream of a worshiping community where no one is an outcast, and no one is a stranger.
Founders LeNard Brown & Rev. Angie Wright shared a vision of a multiracial church where all are celebrated as precious children of God. Throughout the years of their leadership and subsequent leadership of Rev. Jennifer Sanders and Vincent Perry, Beloved continues to live into that dream.
The current ministry team of Rev. Dr. Dollie Howell Pankey, Rev. Sally Harris, and Rev. Sonya Gravlee continue the good work of empowering Beloveds to seek and to grow into the persons we were created to be.