In their book Called Out: 100 Devotions for LGBTQ Christians, Rev. E. Carrington Heath writes, “For LGBTQ people, as well as for any others who have traditionally been denied their full dignity, pride is a radical claiming of God’s image in us. For us, pride is not hubris. Pride is the exact opposite of that. Whenever we feel pride in who we are, we are more capable of living into God’s plans for us in the world.”
Heath’s words remind me precisely why we celebrate Pride as a community of faith and why this bold celebration so deeply matters. Together, we radically claim, re-claim, and pro-claim the belovedness of our LGBTQ community. We elevate and amplify queer voices among us and listen to what the Holy One has to say through them.
To the True Colors Ministry Team and all of those who helped to lead out in Highland’s wholehearted participation in Pride this year, THANK YOU! Thanks especially to Troy Burden for his leadership of the True Colors team and his outstanding coordination of the Drag Revival at HCM, to Justin Sizemore for stepping in as a staff liaison throughout Lauren’s sabbatical, to Rob Thompson and Otter Bright for their thoughtful work managing the bake sale and booth at Kentuckiana Pride, to Sally Evans for a masterful sermon on Sunday, to Katie Williams and Andrew Schaftlein for their fabulous voices of God in worship, to the 60+ folx from Highland who marched with us and bore witness to God’s inclusive love in the streets of downtown Louisville on Saturday, and to all those who participated last week.
Lastly, thanks especially to our LGBTQ+ siblings. You are fearfully and wonderfully made! You are a gift to our congregation and community, and we are a richer, fuller, and more expansive picture of God’s inclusive love because of each of you.