St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Prince Rupert is repping the colours of the rainbow this weekend. The church will be hosting a special Sunday service on May 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
“We noticed that in a lot of churches, the LGBTQ+ community is not celebrated," said Pastor Diana Edis. "We need people to know that God loves them, not in spite of who they are, but because of who they are and who they love.”
Pastor Edis has been a part of the church for four years and she acknowledges that a church holding a Pride event might come as a surprise to some, though she says practicing Christianity and inclusivity can go hand- in-hand.
"There are a range of understandings of who God is and how God comes to us. The cultural understanding of Christianity is that all Christians condemn people in the LGBTQ+ community but that could not be further from the truth. We really hope to share with other people where grace is found and to love everybody.”
The church is hoping this service will become an annual event and that they will be able to support the LGBT Q+ community for years to come.
“Even if two people in the community or beyond the community recognize their belovedness, that will be a start.”
For those wishing to attend the special celebration, the event will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. The event will also be broadcased live on the church's Facebook page.
