Celebrating Pride
There are some common everyday phrases in American culture that we use without knowing their biblical origins. For example the phrase “by the skin of your teeth” comes from the book of Job, chapter 19, verse 20 in which Job cries out to God about his painful disease: “I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.”
One of these phrases we use is “Pride goeth before a fall.” I don’t know why the King James Version is used when we repeat the phrase; I do not ever say “goeth” in any other situation. But here it is, a paraphrase of Proverbs 16, verse 18: “Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall.” It is commonly understood as a warning: Do not think to highly of yourself or your actions. This pride will be cause of your downfall.
Pride has been associated with arrogance, with taking credit for something someone else has done, with thinking too highly of oneself and too lowly of others. But, we are also given others messages: Be proud of yourself. Be proud of who you are.
So how can we reconcile celebrating PRIDE and the biblical warnings against it?
As we enter June, we enter a time of celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community, a celebration of identity and expression of culture. “Pride” has become synonymous with a refusal to be ashamed of one’s identity. In one of the commentaries I’ve read, biblical pride is seen as ‘taking credit for something God has done.” Pride has both negative and positive uses and perhaps it is helpful to distinguish between pride meaning haughtiness or arrogance, and pride being a refusal to be ashamed.
In this way, we at NoHo First UMC is celebrating Pride - the refusal to be ashamed of our identities - during the month of June in various ways. Throughout the month we will be discussing how “Pride month” affects all of us, even though we may not identify as part of LGBTQIA+ community, but are still allies and members of a community that welcomes and celebrates all our people! We will also talk about how loving our neighbor connects us to a myriad of people from various backgrounds, cultures and identities.
On June 1st, we will celebrate our Native American community with a special presentation by Hoop Dancer Eric Hernandez from the Lumbee tribe and a special offering for Native American Ministries in the United Methodist Church. Contributions help develop and strengthen Native American ministries within each United Methodist annual conference and provide scholarships for Native Americans pursuing ordained or licensed ministry.
On June 8th, we will celebrate Pentecost with a special reading of the story from Acts chapter 2, in the languages of our community. We’ll discuss how diversity - in language and culture - can separate or unite us.
On June 15th, we celebrate Father’s Day and all those who have nurtured us to be the people we were created to be. Our lay leader Norman Kelsey will bring the message and we’ll have a special fellowship time to celebrate fathers and father-like people in our lives.
On June 22nd, we will mark Juneteenth with a special moment in worship and a Soul food pop-up after worship. We will talk about how our individual identities can be used to shame, isolate and harm us. However born in the image of God, we are all beautiful and deserving of dignity and respect.
On June 29th, we will celebrate Pride Sunday, with a special Children’s time explaining the colors represented in the pride flag and a sermon about being a safe place in which all are accepted and loved.
What does it mean for us to be a home for all people? How do we love our neighbors of various identities, cultures, and backgrounds? Let’s celebrate Pride as we make NoHo First UMC a place for all people!