Philly’s First Out Presbyterian Minister Wins Moth StorySLAM With His Coming Out Story

David Norse, who you may also know as the first openly gay Presbyterian minister to be ordained in Philadelphia, won a story slam hosted by national storytelling podcast The Moth Monday night at World Cafe Live. Even better? He won with his coming-out story. He explains the experience:

I wasn’t planning to tell a story, actually. I took the Broad Street Ministry LGBTQ fellowship as a way to encourage folks in the group to try their hand at storytelling. … When it was intermission I realized that if I was encouraging them to tell their stories I should model telling my own truth. I told a story called “The call, the slap, the drunken confession.”  It’s about three painful moments in my coming out story where I was surprised to find acceptance and encouragement, a challenge to grow as a person, and the courage to be myself so that others around me could know love.

The win earns him a spot in the upcoming Philadelphia GrandSlam to tell a story with other local StorySLAM winners. And this certificate, which he tweeted with Pride Monday night.

So…this happened @TheMoth pic.twitter.com/cnIIpHdHzI

— David Norse Thomas (@RevNorse) February 24, 2015

Funny sidenote: Norse is one-half of one of gay Philly’s newest power couples. His boyfriend R. Eric Thomas is the host of The Moth StorySlams in Philly. He wasn’t there last night, because he was performing in Light the Lights! at L’Etage, but their Moth history runs deep. Thomas told me that, “My first night hosting The Moth was the first time David saw me. Stories are the roots of love.” Aw. Keep an eye out for these two. I’m predicting a ring to be put on it soon.