As Pride Month kicks off, there's been a sense that this year, in the face of national policies designed to attack and erase LGBTQ folks, there is a return to Pride's original purpose as protest...as community building and assurance that we can survive. At Annual Conferences, United Methodists are making an effort to acknowledge the harm its policies have inflicted and repent and repair. Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, of the West Ohio Conference led a litany with a Reconciling board member saying:
John Wesley's first general rule is "Do no harm." Today, we are called to confess that in the struggles of our church over the past decades, the actions of this body have harmed siblings in Christ and how we have created barriers for LGBTQ candidates for ministry. When one part of the body suffers, all suffer.
On June 21, Nashua will have a Pride Parade down MainStreet and a festival downtown by the Library. Several congregations will participate by marching in the parade or having a booth including Good Shepherd Episcopal, Christ the King Lutheran, and the Unitarian Universalists. As part of our Reconciling vision and hospitality mission, we have, in years past, offered water, bubbles and tattoos on the front lawn from 3 - 6.
We need a few folks to lead this effort this year since Annual Conference ordination is happening at the same time in Danvers. PLEASE let Jodi know ASAP if you can be part of the team that signals to the world we are trying to address past harms and do good.
revkelly
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