United Methodist Drag Queen Discusses Ordination Candidacy

on March 16, 2021

On Sunday, United Methodist drag queen Isaac Simmons participated in a virtual conversation with another openly gay clergy candidate, J.J. Warren of the Upper York Annual Conference.

Warren is also a General Conference lay delegate who represented Upper New York at the 2016 and 2019 General Conferences, and was re-elected to do so at the next one.

Simmons, in drag as “Ms. Penny Cost,” admitted surprise that his candidacy was approved.

“I walked in thinking I was gonna be rejected immediately,” Simmons told Warren on Sunday. “I was thinking the most that was gonna happen was they were gonna vote ‘no’ and that would be the end. I would have to find a new denomination to be a part of, which I really don’t want to do.”

Much to his delight, the vote of approval by the Vermillion River District Committee on Ministry (DCOM) two weeks ago was unanimous.

Simmons sees his personal victory as a milestone event in the Illinois-Great River Annual Conference (IGRC).

“Historically, we are a more conservative conference. In fact, I was the first certified candidate for ordination who was… the first open LGBTQ person to be certified for candidacy,” Simmons explained. “So history was made with that vote. And I was the first drag queen to be certified!”

Shortly after the DCOM vote, Simmons’ candidacy was met with support across the UMC, both inside and outside IGRC.

“I have so much support from the district level, and from the people in my church, and people from Texas and Georgia and California have reached out,” Simmons claimed.

For Simmons to be commissioned, the step before full ordination, he would need to receive a three-fourths super majority vote from the conference-wide Board of Ordained Ministry, and then an equal super majority from the conference’s clergy in full connection (Discipline Paragraph 324).

Simmons views all of this as part of a wider ongoing movement towards LGBTQ affirmation in the UMC: “There is just something new happening in the UMC, and it’s beautiful and it’s holy, and we are holy. We are holy people, and I just love it.”

Warren noted that traditionalist United Methodists and caucus groups have also taken notice of Simmons’ story, including “the illustrious, the satanic, Institute for (sic) Religion and Democracy.

Warren calls Simmons an “evangelist in drag” who will be showing United Methodists across the global connection something new: “To be able to know that people around the world, in little Methodist churches, in rural places, in Norway, and Kenya… are seeing an evangelist in drag, is amazing!”

Simmons says he is still processing and learning what it means for him to combine his Christian ministry with drag. One clear aspect to him is that he is giving representation for LGBTQ people in a powerful institution. This representation is an important part of making change within the UMC, he says.

“So being a drag evangelist for me is less evangelizing to gay bars and drag shows, and more about evangelizing to conservative caucuses, and saying ‘We are here, and we are beautiful, and we want you to be a part of this with us.’ So, it’s really a radical reclamation of power.”

“You’re converting the way we imagine pastors in Christianity,” Warren noted.

Perhaps evangelists like Warren and Simmons are the future of the post-separation UMC, at least in the United States – no one can deny their energy and enthusiasm. Warren is among the theological progressives who have expressed support for the Protocol, saying “it has the potential to unshackle the church from our decades of infighting” and seek justice.

If the denomination does see a split at next year’s General Conference and many traditionalists across the connection join the new Global Methodist Church, the progressive doctrine Warren and Simmons espouse could very well meet broad acceptance across the remaining post-separation UMC.

UPDATE [10/14/2022]: Isaac Simmons preached October 2 at Allendale UMC in St. Petersburg, Florida, as Ms. Penny Cost, including a children’s sermon. Read more here.

  1. Comment by Dan W on March 16, 2021 at 7:05 am

    I checked the calendar and April Fools’ Day is two weeks away. In 2021 maybe every day is April Fools’ Day? So, Mr. Simmons cosplay character is “holy” and the IRD is “satanic”? Yep, everyday this year must be April Fools’ Day!

  2. Comment by Pirate Preacher on March 16, 2021 at 9:17 am

    Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” Why not say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just! What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. Apostle Paul. Romans 3:7-10

    We have all sinned. We all need each day to confess those sins God’s Spirit brings to our attention. (If none come to mind, ask God to examine us.)

    The failure of UMC leadership in many local churches is that they have rejected the authorship of the Bible and no longer consider the law, the prophets, the wisdom teachings, the four gospels, the letters to the churches and the Revelation of Christ as God’s works, but the creative writings of mortal and flawed men.

    I implore the leadership of GMC to move with haste so those trapped on ships of apostasy may escape. If not, a good many will be forced to grab a plank from the deck and jump ship.

  3. Comment by Loren J Golden on March 16, 2021 at 10:38 am

    “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.” —Deuteronomy 22.5

  4. Comment by William on March 16, 2021 at 10:43 am

    This will be the official post-separation UMC. If not at one’s local congregation yet, it’s just waiting around the corner for an up close, in person experience. This obviously further highlights the necessity of THE GLOBAL METHODIST CHURCH, as Pirate Preacher points out.

    WARNING: Centrists/Liberals in the present UMC have already started the Great Lie that Traditionalists will be welcomed, respected, and their convictions protected in the post-separation UMC. In other words, as long as they support, on the one hand, what they reject, on the other hand, everything will be just fine. Or, as long as they come in, sit down, shut up, and drop their checks in the offering plates, everything will be just fine.

  5. Comment by Star Tripper on March 16, 2021 at 12:06 pm

    After the last article here on this person I took a look at his home church website. That congregation proudly shows a timeline of their progression to be a part of the UMC resistance. I have no interest in these people or seeking communion with them. There is no common ground.

  6. Comment by Diane on March 16, 2021 at 1:09 pm

    OK, so Jesus is send wearing long robes and had long hair in churches everywhere. He was adored by twelve men who went with him everywhere, like cultists do. Preachers wear long robes and artsy stoles. Whats the problem? Men love to dress up in less-than-stereotypical masculine dress and parade around for a crowd.

  7. Comment by td on March 16, 2021 at 2:02 pm

    I really wish that this candidate and the candidate’s supporters we less interested in “you coming to be with us” and more interested in themselves being with Christ and his ways.

    Unfortunately, this is the UMC at most levels. It has allied itself with forces it fails to see as evil and is using its power to change the teaching of our Lord.

    The most bizarre part of this article is where the candidate says what a wonderful thing it will be for children and people to see them in drag.

  8. Comment by Bill on March 16, 2021 at 7:02 pm

    This is indeed the future of the post-separation UMC. When it finally gains a stronghold in the left-over denomination, many so-called centrists will head for the hills (or perhaps the Global Methodist Church), while other so-called centrists who support this will be exposed for who the really are — radical progressives.

  9. Comment by Steve S on March 17, 2021 at 6:23 am

    It speaks a lot about the value and commitment of a person who says they will leave a denomination, that they so call love, if that person is not voted to help lead it.

  10. Comment by E C on March 17, 2021 at 9:06 am

    This is perhaps the ultimate “red meat” for the argument to leave the psUMC. It certainly is shocking to the common pew dweller, whether they be conservative or liberal. It is not so much that he was a candidate, but that the candidacy was approved. As shocking as it is, I would maintain that appearances can deceive and grace requires that even we as a traditionalist church take the time to listen to his story, his theology; it is likely way off base, but then again, who really knows? Let’s look beyond the lipstick, even though we may be personally repulsed–there may be more substance to his story than we think.

  11. Comment by S.R. on March 17, 2021 at 9:59 am

    I Tim 4:1-2 Now the Spirit [a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

    Any “religious” group that condones such is nothing more than a social cultural organization that follows after their leader, Satan. I pray for them to repent and accept the Truth of the Word while they have opportunity.

  12. Comment by Tom on March 17, 2021 at 5:31 pm

    Any denomination that produces and supports travesties like this should not be surprised at steep membership declines.

  13. Comment by William on March 18, 2021 at 10:11 am

    In addition — warning to traditional minded local UMC pastors who are still in denial or who are afraid to start a dialogue in their congregations regarding our church schism. If you are planning to stay in the post-separation UMC, either by your choice, the choice of your conference, or the choice of your local congregation — be warned, you WILL have to deal with this likely much sooner rather than later. Liberals will be coming for you to demand you start performing same-sex wedding ceremonies, appoint openly LGBT+ lay members into leadership positions, accept sent LGBT+ associates onto your staff with open arms, incorporate the LGBT+ agenda into your worship services, introduce LGBT+ agendas into your Sunday school classes and children’s ministries —- and the list goes on.

  14. Comment by floyd lee on March 20, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    I know, I know, I shouldn’t say anything at all. I’m a very careful person, but on occasions like this one, I’m too prone to say bad things, excessive things.

    So I’ll just let it alone. I’ll just go back to sleep. Or something. Other commenters have correctly pointed things out already. Maybe I’ll go watch some college basketball.

    I won’t even discuss excommunicating entire DCOMs. College sports, here I come!

  15. Comment by Joan Sibbald on March 21, 2021 at 11:53 am

    “If you repay evil for good evil will never leave your house.” Proverb 17: 13

  16. Comment by Boot on March 21, 2021 at 8:54 pm

    What is this decades long fascination of the UMC with pro-homosexual activity and culture? After five generations of Methodism in my family, we left in 2003 over this abominable behavior. They just keep on pushing the envelope. Sin is sin, no matter what flavor nor whose ox is being gored, and making certain versions of sin acceptable practice in the church ranks is certainly not pleasing to God.

  17. Comment by Gay Crandell on March 22, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    These homos are not fit to lead the Methodist Church as they do not believe in the Bible. God gave then up to their base ways and we must follow the Bible and God’s word… We can be kind to them but not accept the way they are living… They shouldn’t be ordained.. May God watch over the Methodist Church and Bible followers. Amen.. Gay Crandell

  18. Comment by Richard Hicks on March 23, 2021 at 12:23 pm

    It doesn’t matter the party is over. PreCovid the US UMC only served 0.8% of Americans. Or, PreCovid 99.2% of Americans rejected the UMC each week. Follow the money. Always follow the money. With only 0.8% there’s not much to follow. Thank you.

  19. Comment by Douglas Richardson on March 24, 2021 at 4:35 pm

    Penny cost if that is not a slap to the face of God I do not know what would be

  20. Comment by Lee Cary on June 21, 2021 at 9:51 am

    ““Historically, we are a more conservative conference. In fact, I was the first certified candidate for ordination who was… the first open LGBTQ person to be certified for candidacy,” Simmons explained. “So history was made with that vote. And I was the first drag queen to be certified!”

    I was ordained Deacon & Elder in what was then the Norther Illinois Conference in the late 1970’s. It was not ‘conservative’ at all, unless one thinks the current RCC Pope is conservative.

The work of IRD is made possible by your generous contributions.

Receive expert analysis in your inbox.