Our church’s commitment to the LGBT Community has been a central part of our mission as a congregation for many years, highlighted by our designation as a “Reconciling Congregation” within the United Methodist Denomination. Although we have held this title for 18 years, many on the beach still have not experienced open and accepting places of workshop around them. Therefore, beginning 4 years ago, St. Johns made the decision to march in the Miami Beach Pride parade and be a part of the festival.
For the last 4 years, St. Johns has participated in this event as a way to help the community learn about the welcoming and affirming congregation here on the beach. Our participation in this event is not solely to gain worshiping members of our own congregation, but to ensure that our message of love and acceptance is felt and understood by those who have been hurt or excluded by the “church” in the past. We seek to act as a beacon to help people discover a progressive type of church that accepts and honors people for how God made them.
Pride is a wonderful time that gives us the perfect opportunity to express our mission to welcome all, worship passionately, challenge the status quo, and to transform the world through God’s love. This mission has the power to change people’s minds about what it means to be “church” and how they can fully participate in an immersive and radical new expression of religion.
If you would like to be a part of Miami Beach Gay Pride on Sunday morning, April 10, please let us know. Each year, volunteers are needed to decorate the float, march, help out with the booth, and to be ambassadors of our voice as a congregation and progressive Christianity. Email us at contactus@stjohnsmiami.org and let us know how you can help today!