Dearly Beloved,
First thank you -- there are SO many people working in front of the scenes and behind them in so many different ways in our congregation and wider community right now. Thank you thank you thank you! For who you are, for how you show up, and for all that you are doing to bear witness to God's extravagant and overflowing love in our worship, through our giving, in caring for our building, in preparing for the coming year, and in simply helping us to be a thriving and growing community of faith and love.
I want to share some news from Monday's Church Board meeting: About a year and a half ago, one of our members asked the Church Board to consider adding the progress pride flag next to the Christian flag in our sanctuary. An initial conversation was held more than a year ago and then tabled until this past week.
On Monday evening, the Church Board voted to include the progress pride flag in our sanctuary as an added visual symbol of God's love and our congregation's extravagant welcome, especially to those of us who carry the pain of past exclusion and hurt.
I realize, as does the Church Board, that the addition of the progress pride flag may be uncomfortable for some of us, that some of us may not think that it belongs in the sanctuary, that for some of us it may even feel like a symbol that may divide instead of unite us. If you feel any of these ways, please know that you have a place in this congregation. Please know that your perspective and experience matter. Please know that you belong here. And please come and speak to me, to voice your concerns or discomfort, to be heard and held as part of this beloved community of faith. After all, the goal is not to all think alike (or even agree all the time!) but instead to be a congregation where differing experiences and viewpoints are consistently held with care, respect, and love.
The Church Board's decision centered around the desire to offer comfort to those among us (visitors, friends, and members) who have experienced the pain and hurt of being excluded, especially in church -- those among us who were told they were welcome but then whether because of who they love, their gender or sex, race or ethnicity, physical or mental ability, age or social status, they soon learned that the fullness of who they are was not actually welcome. We hope the progress pride flag can offer a symbol of safety to those among us who are feeling especially fearful (and perhaps even targeted) in the context of our wider community and culture at this moment.
Another reason the Church Board voted in favor of including the progress pride flag is the breadth of its message. For many people beyond the LGBTQIA+ community, this flag is a symbol of welcome and safety. The progress pride flag includes the rainbow colors (red representing life, orange representing healing; yellow representing sunlight; green representing nature; indigo representing serenity; violet/purple representing spirit) as well as black and brown representing people of color and people marginalized for their race or ethnicity; pink, baby blue and white representing trans and non-binary people and people marginalized for their sex or gender identity, and yellow and purple representing intersex people. You can learn more about the history and symbolism of the flag HERE.
And we hold gently that, just as the American and Christian flags mean different things to different people, just as the cross at the front of our sanctuary represents different things to different people, the progress pride flag will also be received and interpreted differently by different people. My door and heart are open for conversation about this. Please come and talk with me.
As I began, let me close: thank you. Thank you for all of the ways that you show up. For who you are. For all of the ways that you are God's hands and feet in the world. For all of the ways that you are each living love.
May blessing and joy be yours this week. With love,
Thandiwe
