On the occasion of Pride Month 2021, we wanted to share a word of support for the lesbian, gay, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities in Sacramento and beyond. We lament the role that Christian churches have played in marginalizing and endangering the lives of so many LGBTQIA+ people, including many children and teens. We lament the lives lost, the opportunities denied, and the destruction of communities and families due to homophobia and transphobia, often in the name of Jesus. We also lament the spiritual isolation and abuse that far too many LGBTQIA+ Christians have experienced, whether or not they have publicly disclosed their identity to the church.

In our recent studies of the scriptures, we have challenged some of the contemporary interpretations of scripture, asking important questions, including: How does the cultural context inform our reading? How are we meant to interpret the commands of God today, in light of the freedom we have in Christ? Does God ever ask us to condemn another person? How is God calling us to love our neighbors and ourselves? At Parkview, we do our best to interpret the scriptures through the lens of God’s unending mercy and abundant love for the world. Love is at the very heart of our faith. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Parkview has been blessed by the presence of LGBTQIA+ Christians in our community, membership, and leadership. We want to make our support clear. We believe that God made us each exactly who we are called to be. In this church, we celebrate the full lives of all people, inclusive of all genders, orientations, and expressions. We support the full communion, marriage, and ordination of LGBTQIA+ Christians. We know that this is not something that should be taken for granted. Today, we live with the unfortunate reality that the majority of churches in the United States are not affirming of LGBTQIA+ Christians. Even our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), has yet to take a fully affirming stance, although they have taken steps in this direction. We acknowledge that there is work to do, in both healing and justice. In a time when so many people associate the church with homophobia and transphobia, Parkview’s witness to the love of God for all people must be loud and clear. We are reminded of Parkview’s missional commitment: 

“To be inclusive: to love, not to judge, to welcome, not reject, to be open to change, not guided by the ways of the past, but looking forward to what will bring greater humanity to the world in the present and the future.”

Thank you to everyone who participated in our two-week Bible study on gender, sexuality, and the Bible. You can find more resources at More Light Presbyterians and Covenant Network of Presbyterians, and you are always welcome to bring any questions you may have to the pastoral staff. We invite you to consider how Parkview is being called to witness to God’s love for all people.

In Christ,

Pastor Pamela and Pastoral Resident Veronica