I am the pastor of Trinity Church in Shelburne Falls, a church formed in 1950 from three and then four churches who, for many reasons, felt called to become one church. I wish I was there at the time to see them struggle with questions of faith and practice, tradition and hope as they found ways to do church.
Those seeds of change fell on good ground and made our church stronger over the years to this time in history when we are living our new identity as an open and affirming church, open specifically now to a group of people who have not been welcomed and affirmed in churches — gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. As a lesbian pastor, I know that experience well. Our new church sign says clearly and with a little wry humor, “Everybody welcome. Seriously. Everybody.”
Everybody welcome is also one message of the Franklin County Pride Walk in Greenfield, held this year on Saturday, June 24. We are seriously stronger together when everybody is welcome.
The message sounds sweet and old fashioned. You might say “Of course, everybody is welcome.” But this statement is radical, fierce and counter-cultural. It radically challenged what was happening not that many years ago when some of us had to walk in Pride parades with bags over our heads to keep our jobs and our children. This statement is counter to the present hate-filled and division-creating idea that some people come first and others come not at all. This statement is fiercely challenging to how my religion, Christianity, has been hijacked by those who testify that homosexuality is not compatible with Christianity; that we are not welcome to come as we are.
I met a woman this week who said she thought we were beyond needing to walk in Pride walks. Equal marriage is the law of the land and so many faith communities, including my own, have declared ourselves fully open and affirming. What is the big deal? Why bother to walk? Isn’t that all passé?
I disagreed with her because on that very day, I had met with a young woman who left a church that told her that gay and lesbian people are sinful and deserve damnation. Within the four denominations that gave birth to my own church, the question of sexual orientation is still being debated and schisms are still happening. God talk is still sometimes being used to hurt rather than bless LGBTQ people and their families. It is not a given to feel pride.
I will be marching with my church on June 24. We will be showing with our feet and our banners that it does get better and it is not better yet. I am grateful to be with people who believe that love guides and puts us on the street, in houses of worship, and in communities so we can make the world better, one step at a time. We are one. We are stronger together.
Rev. Marguerite Sheehan is the pastor of Trinity Church in Shelburne Falls.