Nebraska Synod ELCA

Written by: Vicar Erick Hill

. . . And then God spoke, “let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature” and with those words God created human beings, male and female. Every single human being is a manifestation of God’s creation, a reflection of God’s love. When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, he replied saying that first we are commanded to love our creator with all our heart, soul, and mind; and to love God’s earthly creation, the neighbor in our midst, created in God’s image.

As we celebrate PRIDE month within the Nebraska Synod, we come knowing that there are many who do not read or understand Scripture in this way. They have chosen an alternate interpretation to Christ’s command in keeping with their own strongly held beliefs that place conditions on the command to love one’s neighbor. It is this message of exclusion, this message of division, and the acts of hate often associated with this way of thinking that were at the heart of the Stonewall riots of 1969 in Greenwich Village New York which became the pivotal moment in the LGBTQIA+ community when “Gay Oppression” was transformed into “Gay PRIDE”.  Light piercing through the darkness. Love overcoming hate. In the same way that Christ restored the marginalized and disenfranchised to community the Gay PRIDE movement has torn down the curtain of separation, stigma, and hate and announced with pride that “we belong.”

As Christians we must choose between living comfortably within our faith, not venturing too far from what is familiar, and adhering to a love for others with clear boundaries; or putting our faith in Christ, trusting in the Lord as we venture to the “ends of the earth” proclaiming the Good News, the love of Christ that knows no bounds or limits. This is an unconditional love promised to every LGBTQIA+ neighbor, cis-gender neighbor, every person of color and everyone in between. Let us be courageous in the face of hate and division that separates. Let us speak up in the face of hate legislation that serves only to divide and stigmatize. Let us be one body in Christ Jesus loving our neighbor and the great diversity of God’s creation.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ Welcoming and Affirming team within the Nebraska Synod I am proud to be an ally walking alongside my LGBTQIA+ colleagues, parishioners, and community. We seek to work with congregations exploring ways to be welcoming and inclusive through education, training, and support. During this PRIDE month take time to prayerfully discern, how is God calling you and your community to love one another?