Staff photo by Wyatt Massey / Grace Episcopal Church’s hosted its second annual Pride mass on October 12.On Saturday night at Grace Episcopal Church, the organ-led hymns, the group prayers and the call for communion were centered on sending one message to the Chattanooga community: all are welcome.
The church off Brainerd Road at Belvoir Avenue hosted its second annual Pride Mass over the weekend, drawing dozens of people to the pews for an open and affirming service the week after the city hosted its Pride celebration. Rainbow-colored runners hung over the altar, and the pastors wore rainbow-colored stoles.
The service focused on the idea of acceptance, including prayers to remind people in the congregation that God made and declared everyone as “good.” Grace Episcopal has long been a safe church for LGBTQ people and the church wanted to extend the invitation to the wider Chattanooga community, said the Rev. April Berends.
“It’s designed not only to be a place of healing but also a celebration of the diversity that we find in our community and an affirmation that God does not withhold blessing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,” she said.
Jacob Elam said it was reassuring to hear the message of inclusion from the church leaders, as well as an acknowledgment of the ways in which Christianity has marginalized members of the LGBTQ community, something he had not heard before in a church.