By Rev. Racquel Ray
It’s June. The month has been designated as Pride Month in observance of LGBTQ+ civil rights. The movement originally began after the 1969 Stonewall Inn incident in Manhattan NY where queer community members clashed with police. Beginning in 1970 annual observances became part of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement including parades, marches, and flag raising.
Last year, Barrington Congregational Church, UCC marked Pride Month by sharing one hundred mini Pride flags with the community. Congregation and community members were invited to take a flag from the church lawn and plant them in their own yards or share with others. Within the first week, all one hundred flags were shared and were posted throughout the East Bay. Residents then sent pictures of their flags to the church office or shared on social media. The flag planting became a great outreach opportunity to share support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ awareness and civil rights. 
As an Open and Affirming church of the United Church of Christ, we join with other UCC churches in the work of queer inclusion. The symbolism of the Rainbow Doors stands as a reminder to the community that Barrington Congregational Church, UCC is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for all members of the community. For over a decade, our Rainbow Doors have welcomed visitors to town and to our church community sharing the love and justice of Jesus as we believe it to be.
Recently, our church posted the annual flag sharing opportunity both on the church’s front lawn and on social media. Overnight, our page was flooded with messages of support and gratitude for the visible way we are welcoming and advocating for LGBTQ+ civil rights. And, we also received many negative comments from community members who disagree with our Open and Affirming stance. Some say that our acceptance and advocacy is heretical.
Jesus is our example. He invited marginalized folks to dine at his table. He called Matthew, the tax collector, as one of his own. He embraced the disabled, the lepers, the children, the widows, and the marginalized. He shared a Gospel of love, acceptance, grace, community, welcome, and inclusion. He admonished those who clung to the letter of the law over the Spirit of the law and taught, instead, two commandments: Love God, Love your neighbor as yourself. We share this Gospel, one of love. 
Thank God the Church is shared through a spectrum among many peoples and many beliefs. There’s a church for everyone. The United Church of Christ stands as one of the most progressive of the mainline protestant Christian churches in the world. We believe God calls all of us to be servants in service to the whole human family, to proclaim the Gospel, resist the powers of evil, share in Christ’s Baptism and eat at his table joining Jesus in his passion and victory. We believe that all people are blessed and loved equally by God. Following the teachings of Jesus, we heartily welcome everyone into God’s covenantal community. We believe that whatever your race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic or marital status, variety of thoughts and beliefs, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression – whoever you are and wherever you come from you are welcome into the full life and ministry of this church.
I believe that the Pride movement is as important to our civilization as the Declaration of Independence from British colonization, the abolition of slavery, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the Child Labor laws, and our evolving Constitution. I believe that as citizens of the Kingdom of God and of the United States, we are mandated to Love God, Love Neighbor, and follow the civil laws of our society. 
I believe that as Christians we have the sacred mandate to follow that morality example set by Jesus to feed the hungry, give drink to those who thirst, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, heal the sick, visit the prisoner. I believe that if we were all busy doing the work of Christian ministry perhaps we would be caring for the least of these rather than criticize one another.