Transgender Woman Banned From Church Activities: 'Where Do People Like Me Go?'

LAFAYETTE, Colo. (CBS4) - A woman says she is no longer welcome on her church's retreats because she is transgender.

Melissa Chapman has been attending Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette for more than three years and was really looking forward to attending a women's church retreat. She said she was devastated when she was told last week she won't be allowed to attend because she's transgender. She says she just wants to practice her faith with everyone else.

"Nobody chooses to be like this," Chapman told CBS4's Melissa Garcia.

Chapman, 43, has lived more than half of her life as a woman. She had gender reassignment surgery 11 years ago. She said her Flatirons Community Church pastor accepted her as a woman when she told him she had once been a man.

In 2013 Pastor Jim Burgen told Chapman's story to the congregation of thousands.

"We don't have an official stance on anything except this -- point people toward Jesus and what he said, open our arms wide and love everybody that God brings into this place," Burgen said. "That's our official stance."

"I was so happy, I was like, 'Wow, I can actually feel accepted and loved,'" Chapman said.

Now she feels betrayed.

"I was told that I needed to repent of the sin that I was in and return to being a male," Chapman said.

She says she's now banned from participating in any of the church's women's activities.

"If we can't attend the women's groups, then where do people like me go?"

CBS4 reached out to Flatirons Community Church leaders but they declined to comment.

Chapman said that although she disagrees with the pastor's decision, she still recommends the church for the general community.