Five ways churches can celebrate Pride Month: Resources to worship, witness, love loudly

The start of June marks the beginning of Pride Month, the month designated to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City. Alongside other riots, Stonewall was an influential moment of resistance in the movement for LGBTQ+ rights.

Now begins the season of Pride marches and festivals held in towns large and small across the country, where many United Church of Christ congregations build on the denomination’s long history of working for LGBTQ+ inclusion by offering a visible presence of God’s love for LGBTQ+ people.

The Rev. Bentley de Bardelaben-Phillips, team leader for UCC Education for Faithful Action Ministries, reflected as Pride Month begins, “It is meaningful to know that my church supports me the way God created me: Black, queer, beautiful, and pansexual/bisexual.” 

Here are some resources and ideas for engaging with Pride within the sanctuary and beyond.

🌈 1. Use Pride worship resources.

The UCC Open and Affirming (ONA) Coalition designed worship resources for this year’s ONA Sunday: “We Shall Not Be Moved! Rooted in Love, Justice, and Affirmation.”

The UCC designates June 28 as ONA Sunday, though resources can be used at any time. The liturgies, sermon pathways, and music suggestions in the resources are based on Jeremiah 17:5-8.

“Jeremiah 17 reminds us that those who trust in God are like trees planted by water. When the heat comes, they do not fear. When drought comes, they keep bearing fruit,” writes the Rev. Derek Terry, acting executive director of the ONA Coalition. “That is the image for this moment. Open and Affirming churches are called to be rooted deeply enough to withstand fear, backlash, silence, and hate.”

Additionally, Living Pride Out Loud Worship Resources and The Book of Love: Liturgy, Poetry, Devotionals for Loving Our Neighbor Out Loud are available from the UCC National Setting.

🌈2. Extend the message of God’s love at local gatherings.

Share where and how your church is celebrating Pride Month this year with others on UCC social media, and find ideas for how others are celebrating.

Those in the greater Cleveland area are invited to join the National Ministries of the UCC and local UCC congregations at Pride in the CLE this Saturday, June 6, where gathering begins in the center of Cleveland’s Public Square at 10:00 a.m. (Look for the UCC signs!). The march goes right past the UCC National Offices in Downtown Cleveland.

🌈 3. Commit to engaging with the rich UCC history around LGBTQ+ and gender justice.

Learn about The Story of Bob: The Life and Times of Rev. Robert W. Wood in a newly published book from Pilgrim Press. Wood was a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, who pushed the UCC to embrace the cause of gay rights — advocacy that ultimately led to the formation of the UCC’s ONA Coalition.

Explore Love is Louder resources and toolkits for learning more about gender, sexuality, and faith. And watch current UCC faith leaders reflect on why Pride matters to them as people of faith.

🌈 4. Take action, remembering that Pride has always been a protest.

“From the Compton’s Cafeteria riot to the Stonewall uprising and beyond, Pride emerged from communities that refused to disappear. It was born from courage, sustained by love, and fueled by the conviction that every person deserves to live with dignity and belonging,” writes Schmian Evans, UCC minister for Women and Gender Justice, in a commentary on the people at the center of Pride Month.

Join two upcoming viritual gatherings this week: Queer Love + Liberation Round Table and Defending Dignity: Addressing Policy Attacks on the LGBTQIA+ Community.

Visit the UCC Justice and Peace Network Action Center for current ways to contact legislators on pressing issues, like by advocating to Protect Trans, Nonbinary, and Intersex People’s Civil Rights.

🌈 5. Create visible signs of love and extravagant welcome.

Get creative in finding ways to communicate that God’s love is louder with visual signs in and around your congregations. Find affirming banners, clothing, rainbow fans, and many more items for displaying and/or distributing in the UCC Resources Store.

De Bardelaben-Phillips, who will be among those representing the UCC National Ministries at Cleveland Pride, highlights the impact of being part of a boldly inclusive denomination.

“There is often hatred spewed at the National Ministries due to standing with the LGBTQ+ community in their public action, as well as their words,” he said. “I am proud to have my ministerial standing held within this courageous and bold church. My guess is Jesus would affirm this choice too.”

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