Alabama Mayor and Pastor Bubba Copeland’s church says its members were ‘steadfast in our love and care’ for him when he was dressed up as a ‘curvy girl’ online before his suicide
The former church that served Bubba Copeland claims their members were “steadfast in their love and care” for him after he was outed as a transgender “curvy girl.”
Smiths Station Mayor FL ‘Bubba’ Copeland, 49, died by suicide on Friday after details of his ‘alter ego’ Brittini Blaire Summerlin were shared online.
The news site 1819 published stories about how he had posted photos of himself in women’s clothing on an adult website, all under an online alter ego.
During a sermon Sunday at First Baptist Church of Phoenix City, where Copeland had been pastor, an unidentified church official said, “Despite what may have been suggested in the media, the members of this church have been steadfast in their love and concern. for our pastor
“I cannot tell you that I fully understand or explain the magnitude of this tragedy.”
The unidentified church official will deliver a sermon here Sunday in the wake of the suicide of Mayor FL “Bubba” Copeland
Copeland took his own life after details of his ‘alter ego’ Brittini Blaire Summerlin were shared online
It was recently revealed that Copeland had dressed up as a ‘transgender curvy girl’ under the alter ego Brittini Blaire Summerlin
The man continued, “However, there are some things that I know are absolutely true. I know my friend Bubba Copeland loved this church and its people.
“And I know that our witness as Christians is not so much defined by how we act in good times. This is how we act in difficult times.
“I know that the mission of this church is and will continue to be our primary purpose.”
After the short sermon, the man added, “We are here today as a Christian family to grieve and comfort each other.
“And at this time we are terminating our Internet broadcasting service.
“What follows will be a time of togetherness among our extended church family. An opportunity to express our sadness and our love.’
Photos emerged of Copeland wearing bras, wigs and makeup, as well as trans porn and erotic fiction he wrote in which he fantasized about transitioning.
The website also alleged that Copeland posted photos of minors on Reddit as part of memes about the transition.
In one, images of a local brother and sister were used to make it appear as if the boy had transitioned, the outlet reported.
The supermarket owner’s ‘hobby’ was exposed by a conservative news site last week, prompting the father of three to tell congregants he was the subject of an ‘internet attack’.
Copeland married his wife Angela, a teacher in the city where he was mayor, in November 2018
On the day he committed suicide, another story claimed how he wrote violent fantasy fiction while posting photos of people from his community on his Reddit page without their consent.
During a sermon last Wednesday prior to his death, Copeland apologized to his flock and told them his wife was aware of his activities.
“Yes, I took pictures with my wife in the privacy of our home in an attempt at humor because I know I’m not a good-looking man or a beautiful woman either,” Copeland said.
‘The article is not about who or what I am. I apologize for the embarrassment caused by my private and personal life becoming public.
‘This isn’t going to change my life. This will not diminish my commitment to my family, serving my city and serving my church,” Copeland said.
The Southern Baptist Convention, which is reportedly no longer affiliated with Copeland’s parish, said it has received allegations of “unbiblical behavior.”
However, the Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, of which Copeland’s church is a member, said the issue was “between the pastor and the church.”
Phoenix City pastor apologized in a statement to his congregation just days before his death for “any embarrassment” caused by his behavior
A conservative news outlet posted screenshots of Copeland’s Reddit account, where he used the handle “brittiniblaire” and described himself as “A Transitioning Transgender Curvy Girl.”
Supporters have questioned whether Copeland should have been “outed” as he appears to have never expressed anti-LGBTQ views despite his Baptist faith.
Copeland started his “hobby” of cross-dressing when he was young, but he didn’t clarify when he started playing Brittini Blaire Summerlin, according to the news site 1819.
‘It’s a hobby I do to relieve stress. “I am under a lot of stress and I am not undergoing a medical transition,” Copeland said in a statement to the news site.
‘It’s just a bit of a character that I play. … I don’t go looking for requests or anything like that.”
Copeland added, “It’s just a hobby that I have in my own home that hasn’t traveled outside my home.”
“I have done nothing outside of my own home other than post or publish anything on the Internet, and that does not affect anything within my jurisdiction,” he said.
Following last week’s events, Copeland shot himself with a handgun following a slow chase by police after they were called to conduct a welfare check.
The First Baptist Church of Phoenix City has since been in mourning and changed its Facebook profile picture to a black ribbon.
Affected worshipers left floral tributes at the base of a cross outside the First Baptist Church of Phoenix City, Alabama, on Sunday
Several bouquets and a wreath of flowers were left in memory of Fred L. “Bubba” Copeland days after he committed suicide
Copeland was a community pillar who was praised by then-President Donald Trump for his handling of a tornado in the area in March 2019
Known as a pillar of the local community, Copeland met with President Trump in 2019, who praised him for handling a devastating tornado that ripped through the city.
After his death, church member Dan Elkins said he was forced to delete hateful comments on his Facebook page over the past three days.
“He was far from perfect, but he was my pastor, my friend and my brother. And in the midst of my anger about this whole situation, my heart is absolutely broken tonight,” he said.
“By no means am I ignoring accountability, but there must be love and care, not contempt and judgment.”