Stoughton Official Leaving Town That 'Embraced' Him

STOUGHTON, MA — When Adam Dawkins moved to Stoughton in 2012, the town became more than another place to live. Dawkin's previous work had sent him everywhere from his home state of South Carolina, to Baltimore, Atlanta, and eventually Stoughton. Itching to return to his small-town life he experienced growing up outside Greenville, South Carolina, Dawkins moved to Stoughton — a place he said he'll always call home — especially because it was the first place he felt comfortable being himself, a gay man.

Dawkins said he always knew he was gay, but because he grew up in a conservative southern community, it was never something he could be public about. He came out in his 30s when he first moved to Stoughton and said he was accepted by his Episcopalian church, as well as the community.

"When I came to Stoughton, it was the first time I came out as an authentic person," Dawkins told Patch. "The community embraced me."

And now, after several years of thought and prayer, Dawkins is leaving the town he'll forever call home to follow his faith. Next month, Dawkins is headed to the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, to start his journey in becoming an Episcopalian priest.

Dawkins said this was one of the toughest decisions he's ever had to make and wasn't made lightly. As Stoughton became Dawkin's home, his involvement in his church and the community grew. Dawkins served as a town meeting representative when the new high school was approved, which was his proudest moment serving the town. In 2017, Dawkins was elected town moderator, facilitating Stoughton's town meetings, which are notoriously some of the longest town meetings in Massachusetts, sometimes lasting for days on end.

"Stoughton has a reputation of being a tough town meeting," Dawkins said. "People care deeply."

That deep caring makes leaving Stoughton that much harder for Dawkins. One moment in particular Dawkins mentioned was how people watched out for each other when four Stoughton High School students were killed in a car crash last year. People of all faiths came together and rallied around the boys' families and the entire school community. Local businesses made t-shirts. Mothers led the charge to hang ribbons around town.

"In the face of tragedy, it brought out the best of Stoughton," Dawkins said.

And as Dawkins leaves the first town he ever felt accepted in, a new journey begins, one which isn't common, especially for a soon-to-be priest. Several Christian faiths do not allow priests to be married, never mind married in a same sex relationship. But the Episcopalian church, since the 1970s has tried to be inclusive to those outside the heterosexual male norm. In 1974, the church began ordaining women, and in 1977, Ellen Barrett, the first openly gay priest in the Epscoplaian faith, was allowed to become a priest.

In 2003, the church elected its first openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson, but the appointment wasn't met without outrage across the Christian community. Robinson had to wear a bulletproof vest, after his installation, and received countless death threats. Members of the Episcopalian church and other Christian faiths spoke out against Robinson.

Though Dawkins acknowledged it's getting easier to be a gay Christian today, especially in the Episcopalian faith, there's still a long way to go.

"Jesus is always looking for a reason to include, rather than exclude," Dawkins said.

Still Dawkins doesn't fully hold any of those issues against the Christian faith. He acknowledged problems, but believes the values in community the church brings are important.

"As imperfect as the church can be, it's our community of Christians," Dawkins said. "We do the best we can ... I'm convinced there's more that unites us than separates us."

After Dawkins spends three years at the University of the South, he hopes to end up in a parish close enough that he can move back to Stoughton. He said the Trinity Episcopal Church in Stoughton sponsored his path towards priesthood. In October, his priest, Father Harry Walton, traveled to California to ordain Dawkins and his husband Adam's wedding at the Episcopal Church in Los Olivos.

"It (the Stoughton Church) was one of the most important communities I've ever been a part of," Dawkins said. "That will always be my home parish. Often times in ministry, we have to say goodbye. The day you arrive in a place is the day you start preparing to leave it."

Dawkins hoped to leave Stoughton better than he found it, and with his work with Town Meeting, and the church, he hoped he did just that — at least until he can return.