A Note from the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!!
Working at the intersection of LGBTQIA+ identities and Christianity, I’m regularly asked why the Queer community celebrates pride. Isn’t pride a sin? Being prideful, arrogant, boastful, and indifferent or openly hostile to the needs of marginalized and oppressed are all sins. However, when the LGBTQIA+ community talks about Pride what we mean is that we made it. We’ve survived millennia of hate, derision, and violence. Even as our community continues to be attacked, we become stronger and more resilient. That’s way we CELEBRATE during PRIDE Month!
You - just as you are, fearfully and wonderfully made - are warmly welcome in this month of festivity, affirmation, and liberation.
And, hunty, we’re going to be busy! 😘 We have the PRIDE Interfaith Prayer Service in collaboration with Stonewall Columbus, we’re running our SECOND ANNUAL Share the Love, Share the Pride campaign with some of our favorite partner organizations, and we’re getting ready for Columbus and Westerville Prides and the Columbus Natural Wine Festival (which will again be donating a portion of their proceeds to LOVEboldly).
Get excited, friends; it’s going to be a glorious PRIDE MONTH!
Faithfully,
(Rev. Dr.) Ben Huelskamp
LOVEboldly at Pride 2024
LOVEboldly will be attending Columbus Pride, Westerville Pride, and will be tabling at the Columbus Natural Wine Festival (which supports LOVEboldly) during June (Pride Month).
Columbus Natural Wine Festival - Sunday, June 9
Columbus Pride - Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15
Westerville Pride - Saturday, June 22
Excited to volunteer with LOVEboldly this year? PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM (click here).
Looking for other Pride events in Ohio? Check out The Buckeye Flame’s Pride Guide 2024.
Share the Love, Share the Pride Campaign - 2024
For the second year, LOVEboldly is happy to sponsor the Share the Love, Share the Pride Campaign during Pride Month. On the days in the graphic above (see below for a text-only option), all donations* received by LOVEboldly will be split 50/50 with the organization or congregation designated. Each of these organizations is fully affirming of the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s that simple! You have the ability to support TWO great organizations at the same time!
Our goal is to raise at least $2,000 overall.
You can use the LOVEboldly donation form: https://www.loveboldly.net/donate.
*Note - Recurring donations and donations marked for “LOVEboldly only” will not count towards the Share the Love, Share the Pride Campaign or the campaign’s total.
PRIDE Interfaith Prayer Service
Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at 7pm at Stonewall Columbus
The PRIDE Interfaith Prayer Service is a collaboration between LOVEboldly and Stonewall Columbus. If you would like to participate in the service or if your congregation would like to co-sponsor, please click the button below and add your name/congregation on the second page.
Virtual Coffee and Cocktails - Reconnecting with Friends
Are you feeling a bit disconnected from LOVEboldly? Do you want to learn more about what we’re up to, the programs we’re holding, the LOVEboldly Fellows’ Program, and the exciting work we’re planning for later this year and beyond?
Then you, yes YOU, are invited to join LOVEboldly’s Founder, Heidi Weaver-Smith, and our Executive Director, Ben Huelskamp, for a virtual coffee and cocktails night! Ben and Heidi will present shortly about LOVEboldly and will be happy to answer an questions folks have.
Tuesday, July 16, at 7:30pm on Zoom
Thank you so much for reading the whole newsletter! Remember, there is a standing invitation to all LOVEboldly-related people for phone/Zoom calls or to get coffee/tea or lunch with our ED, Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp. Go ahead! Put time on his calendar https://calendly.com/benhuelskamp.