Caldwell, this is Pride Week in Charlotte.
The Pride Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 20th and 21st uptown. We still need volunteers to sit in our Pride booth and greet people who want information about Caldwell. If you are interested in helping at Caldwell’s booth, please use this link to sign up: https://bit.ly/3OKAf45.
The Pride parade is on Sunday, August 21st. Please wear your Caldwell t-shirt to worship on Sunday and meet at our float by 12:30 pm (float will be on N. Tryon between 9th & 10th Streets). Lunch and water will be provided. If you need a Caldwell tee shirt, please contact Lisa Raymaker at lnr114@gmail.com.
Here’s the question of the week, Caldwell – are you practicing the wave? You are probably asking: what wave, Gail? The royal wave. The pageant wave. Head held high. Smiling wide. Slowly rotating your wrist from right to left. Greeting your public.
Seriously, Caldwell, spend some time in front of your mirror this week practicing a broad smile, making eye contact with the eyes you see in the mirror, and waving in a slow side-to-side motion. You are invited to practice the wave because we will all use it at Sunday’s parade. We want everyone along the parade root to know that we see them. We want them to know that we are looking at them with eyes of love and welcome. We want the love of God to flow freely from us to everyone we encounter along the route – including the inevitable protestors.
We participate in the parade every year in order to share the love of God with all of God’s children. Of course we want to connect new folks with Caldwell, but even if no one visits Caldwell as a result of our participation in the parade, we want everyone who sees us to know that we see them.
So practice the wave, Caldwell. Practice looking at others with eyes that communicate God’s reckless love for them – the love I preached about last Sunday. FYI – you are invited to not only use that look and that wave at the parade. You are invited to also use the wave and the look of love everywhere you go, even when you encounter protestors.
After you practice the wave, after you pick out your best Pride outfit for Sunday, click here to read a reflection about Pride that is both personal and community focused. It was written by our own John Cleghorn. The piece was published back in June in QNotesCarolinas, a publication of LGBTQ Local News, Voices, and Community.
John, thanks for using your voice and your story to invite the church to look in the mirror – for more than merely practicing the wave.
See you on Sunday, Caldwell.
Peace be with you all, Gail