Above: Denyse Thornley-Brown (second from left) with other Beloveds at an Immigrants’ Rights Demonstration

Many roads lead into and out of the sweet spirit that resides at Beloved Community Church.  A long-time church leader, Dr. Denyse Thornley-Brown, is a perfect example.

Denyse, a native of Montreal, Canada, is a citizen of the world and sees her mission at Beloved as a way to serve people from all cultures.  Her parents were Jamaican immigrants and her childhood in the melting pot of Montreal made her interested in cultures from all over the world.  Her education took her from McGill University to medical school at Howard University in Washington, D.C.  She furthered her training with her residency in Atlanta and ultimately ended up in Birmingham at UAB Medical School.  She is a nephrologist (kidney specialist) treating patients throughout the UAB system.

Not only has Denyse lived in many places, but she has an insatiable travel bug.  Among other places, she has traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, Mexico and Nepal.  She even ran a marathon in Paris last year.

Denyse also comes from a diverse religious experience.  Her parents were conservative Presbyterians who attended church every Sunday.  Denyse was searching for a less formal worship and even visited fundamentalist protestant churches.  Ultimately, she left seeking a theology that was less “harsh and judgmental.”

Denyse was among the first members of Beloved.  A friend of hers who attended First Congregational Church, told her about Beloved.  She visited and, as she says, she “never looked back.”  Denyse found her home in a church we all know is the epitome of human diversity.  Denyse explains, “At Beloved, there is a group of people whose paths would not ordinarily cross, but when we get together, it works so well.   You find all walks of life, diversity of class, education, and life experience.  That’s the beauty of Beloved – its diversity.  You lose out when you just associate with people like yourself.”

Since she came to Beloved ten years ago, Denyse has served the church in many roles.  She has served as Church Moderator.  She presently volunteers with the church’s language class (Denyse is fluent in Spanish and French).  She attends the “Race Matters” book club and “Spiritual Cinema.”  She assists every Sunday in running the sound system during worship service.

Denyse would like more people to discover Beloved like she did.  “I would like more people to know about the church.  It is a well-kept secret.  And I would like to see more children and youth active in the church.”

Yes, Denyse has traveled many roads on her way to Beloved.  Since she arrived, she’s been paving the way for others.