Have some PIE
My favourite pizza joint, every March 14, gives away free 11” pizzas. Why March 14? Because it's Pi Day! Get it? Pie=Pi=3.14=March 14 and pizza is a kind of pie!*
PIE has also come to mean something else, particularly to Christian communities that fully include and celebrate LGBTQ+ people. PIE stands for Public, Intentional, and Explicit.
Public: We proclaim, loud and proud, to anyone who will listen, that LGBTQ+ people, their lives, and their rights are important and celebrated here at Harbor Online Community.
Intentional: We are committed to learning about and addressing homophobia and transphobia in our Christian histories and theology.
Explicit: We are explicit in our publicity and in our gatherings that we affirm LGBTQ+ people. In our group norms every week we commit to creating a safe space for “all beliefs and opinions, except for those that dehumanize others (racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.),” and to sharing and respecting pronouns.
No one should have to come to a community and not know if they are safe, welcome, and affirmed. Saying, “All are welcome” means nothing if your “all” has only ever behaved like you. Too often, churches post “We welcome all” and, then, are left blubbering when children walk in with their two dads, or one of their teens comes out as trans. Many aren’t left blubbering at all. They make it clear in their leadership and their greeting that “all” does not include “people like you.”
Jesus loves all of us, but he was always really clear about welcoming people who were often ignored and rejected. Some call this special treatment. I think a lot of the time he was just treating them the same way as privileged folks were treated, but it looked special because they were so often treated with less respect, even violence. Being clear about affirming LGBTQ+ people is not saying we are more deserving than cis-gender and/or straight people. It simply means we can expect to be treated with the same love, admiration, joy, humor, and respect as cis-gender and straight people. And there is lots of that to go around!
Summer brings the noise, colour, excitement, and joy of Pride parades, especially this year as many are happening for the first time since COVID. Pride is political, and it is a celebration. We are celebrating Pride month in June with queer content every Thursday this month. I hope you can join us.
HAPPY PRIDE!
* I’m sure this is debatable. I’m standing by the old song, “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore…”
