It truly was an amazing race for married ministers Kate Lewis and Pat Hendrickson, the California couple from the current version of CBS-TV's The Amazing Race ( Sundays, 7 p.m. ) .
It just didn't last long enough.
Kate & Pat, as they were known throughout the show, were the second team eliminated on this 11-team race around the world.
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Kate Lewis ( left ) and Pat Hendrickson. Image courtesy of CBS
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'Just as [ the show's name ] says, it was amazing. It was fun and the little bit of sting from being [ eliminated ] so soon is now gone. And we'd do it again in a heartbeat,' said Hendrickson, 65. 'I think the best part of the experience was just the fact that we took the chance [ to participate ] and did it. And the event really changed both of our lives because it showed both of us that we could do a lot more than we first were giving ourselves credit for physically.'
Lewis, 49, said the best part was the first day when they had to climb to the top of a mountain in Ireland. 'OK, it really was just a hill, but it felt like a mountain. We thought we might be last at that point, but we weren't, and that made it even better,' she said.
Lewis is an Episcopal priest and has one grown son: Russell, 25. She is more reserved than Hendrickson, who can be described as persistent.
Hendrickson is a vocational deacon in the Episcopal Church and her ministry in the community is to people with disabilities. She is also the mother of two sons ( Robert, 36; Richard, 29 ) and grandmother of three ( Cyrus, 14; Cayden, 5; Max, 2 ) .
'It definitely was a demographic coup,' for CBS,' Lewis said, laughing. 'We were so glad they took us because they easily could have backed away from us.'
And neither their sexual orientation nor profession had an impact or effect on their time on the Race.
'Of course, we're aware that [ our sexuality ] challenges a lot of people's mindsets. For some people, it expands the notion of who lesbians are, because we're pretty normal-looking; we're cute and sweet and not really a threat to anyone,' Lewis said. 'We really just wanted to get on the show— and, thus, into people's living rooms—so we can show them that we're just a loving couple and not a threat to anyone's marriage, and that we were giving a fairly normal look to two people who are Christian.'
The two dated for seven years before tying the knot three years ago. They first met about 10 years ago at a Christian retreat, 'and we just connected right off the bat,' Hendrickson said.
Each was the other's first same-sex partner.
'We wanted to give a context and a vision to any and all lesbians watching the show, and others,' in the LGBT community, Hendrickson said.
Lewis said their kids were 'totally fine' with their coming out. Nor did they lose any friends over their sexuality.
They were ordained in 2002, and became priests in 2003.
'My parish is in the community,' Hendrickson said. 'My role is to discern the needs of the community, bring those needs to the church and help the church find ways to meet the needs of the community.' She has been working at length with the disabled community.
Hendrickson works at St. Patrick's in Thousand Oaks, while Lewis is out of St. Cross in Hermosa Beach.
So what was the church's reaction to their Amazing Race expedition?
Lewis said they could not reveal they were on the show. 'But once they found out, they were thrilled [ for us ] ,' Lewis said. 'There was no fallout [ from being on the show ] .'
Said Hendrickson: 'We really do want to get a message out to the LGBT community that God is an inclusive God, that God loves everybody and there really is a place for everyone in the Christian community.'
Lewis added, 'Diversity is not God's problem.'
The two said they plan to work with the Human Rights Campaign and other charities in the future. The two wore 'Erase Hate' bracelets during the Race.
'We're just like everyone else; we have our strengths and our weaknesses, good days and bad days,' Hendrickson said.
GETTING TO KNOW … Kate & Pat
—Favorite actresses: Meryl Streep ( Pat ) and Jodie Foster ( Kate ) .
—Hobbies: Bowling ( Pat ) and gardening ( Kate )
—Favorite TV shows other than Amazing Race: CSI ( Pat ) and Survivor ( Kate )
—Who they want to win this season of The Amazing Race: Kynt & Vyxsin ( both ) . 'We love them,' Hendrickson said. 'They're great. They work together the way we do—and they're a statement that, again, people can be different.'
