Three UCC churches joined to declare Love is Louder at Atlanta Pride

Three local United Church of Christ congregations marched as one for Atlanta Pride’s 50th Pride March on Sunday, Oct. 13. 

Central Congregational United Church of Christ, Virginia-Highland United Church of Christ, and Kirkwood United Church of Christ marched together, embracing Love is Louder: Love Your Neighbor OUT LOUD as their message. More than 60 UCC members marched with signs, rainbow flags, and messages of “God is Love” for all. 

Rachael Ward, minister and team lead for UCC Gender & Sexuality Justice, offered a modern lesson at Virginia-Highland UCC before gathering with fellow congregants and preached, “All are a ‘yes’ to God – no matter their gender or sexuality.”

“Showing our support in voice and numbers matters, especially in this moment,” Ward said. “When we show up to love one another OUT LOUD, we are sharing a message of love that belongs with our LGBTQIA+ community and each of us.”

At one point during the march, the group passed a section with protestors of the march, and UCC participants began to chant, “God is Love.” Soon many more echoed those words until the chants of protestors were drowned out, and only love reverberated, according to Ward. 

Ward left the event with hope. “We need one another. To be siblings in Christ, to me, means coming together to be in community and communal care of one another. The more we faithfully model these possibilities of being the Church, the more I believe we ripple liberation and freedom for all,” they shared.

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