On pride & telling time
This past Saturday, we participated in another Jax River City Pride Festival. Setting up and hosting a station at the festival takes a fair amount of effort (just ask Deb who got there early and stayed late to haul two canopies to our spot!). It never takes long to figure out why it’s worth the effort, though.
The first thing I noticed this year was the joy that took over the park as people arrived, decorated in colorful clothing, excited to be among kindred spirits. Smiles and hugs abounded. So did pups decked out in Pride-themed attire.
For the past several years, one of our contributions to the festival has been offering colorful photo frames for photo ops. This year, one frame had the word “BELOVED” bedazzled below the cutout and the other “WE BELONG”. This year, we added a coloring station and a brief liturgy of belonging (which we quickly learned was not feasible).
We were not there to recruit people or to peddle anything, only to embody this message:
You are beloved. You DO belong.
Person after person paused to have their picture taken, to make art, to receive a “glitter blessing” or to share in conversation. What happened in this sweet space reminded me of why showing up here year after year matters.
Per usual, numerous people seemed surprised by the presence of a church, and appeared to be listening for the “catch”. Having received the not-so-subtle message that faith and queerness cannot coexist, some lingered to ask questions or share stories. One young man, with tears in his eyes, told me about how he and his partner had recently experienced a renewed desire to grow in their faith. They began attending a church in their neighborhood. When their queerness became evident, the demeanor of the pastor shifted from warm welcome to cold rejection. They took the hint, left hurt, and have not bothered looking for another place to nurture faith (who would blame them?!).
This young man was not the only person who became tearful telling me about the hurt encountered in spaces meant for healing. Although not surprising, it still infuriates me.
A few months ago, I wasn’t sure we would be at Pride this year. I didn’t know if we had the energy or people power. Our Pride coordinator knew best: our presence there is even more important this year, Susan. She was right. With the policies targeting Trans people, the hateful rhetoric toward our LGBTQ+ neighbors (look at the comments on any news story about pride and you can see them for yourself), and the continued threats to their wellbeing, this was exactly where we needed to be.
If you’re anything like me, knowing when and where to be, and what to give your time and energy to at any given moment, can be a challenge. Prioritizing has become an imperative, and so has discerning the moment: is this a time for rest or a time for renewed resolve, a time for venturing in a new direction or staying put, a time for more information or for unplugging, for feasting or fasting … the list of our questions goes on and on.
During our upcoming Sunday gatherings, we will be asking the question “What time is it?” and exploring wisdom, scriptures, stories and practices that help us get a little more clear about how and where this moment is inviting us to show up.
No matter who you are or where you’ve been (or who has turned you away),
no matter what questions you bring,
or what season you are in,
we look forward to welcoming you.