As a progressive, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to God – this article reflects one of those ways. Take from here what works for you. Celebrate life with joy and peace!
This weekend we celebrate Pride! The Met Church (MCC San Diego) has been in every single parade for 40 years and we have proudly marched every year with the message that God loves all people.
Metropolitan Community Church is honored this year to be one of the four Community Grand Marshals celebrating our place in history in the LGBT community in San Diego.
This weekend, we will once again express our Pride in ourselves, our church, our community and our world as we march from the big Rainbow Flag in Hillcrest to Balboa Park. We will also have a booth in the festival. So many people work hard to make this a success and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
There’s not a year that goes by that I don’t hear a comment from someone who saw us in the parade or at the festival saying, “Your presence really makes a difference!” They tell me their stories of how they felt rejected by the church, or by God or from a family member. Our message is to share the Good News of God’s inclusive love and the hope we have to celebrate that we are created in God’s image.
We share pride in God and God’s pride in us! We share our diversity and celebrate our sexualities as a gift from God.
I am proud to share an announcement from a sister church that this year we will have the first openly gay Lutheran Bishop walking in the Pride parade!
Joined by members of First Lutheran Church San Diego, Bishop Erwin and his husband Rob Flynn will join the other two California bishops and their spouses! This will be the first time all three California ELCA Lutheran bishops will be represented in a Pride parade!
I’m so grateful for the number of churches, synagogues, temples and spiritual groups of all kinds that will be marching in the parade and supporting our community! When they come by on the Parade route give them a big cheer!
Whatever your spiritual path, know you are loved. There is support for you. I encourage you to be proud of your spiritual self as well as every other part of your fabulous self! Happy Pride!
Rev. Dan Koeshall is the senior pastor at The Metropolitan Community Church (The Met), 2633 Denver Street, San Diego, California, themetchurch.org. Services every Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m.
