While May is not Pride Month, we at Woodland United Methodist Church are gearing up for June and the much-anticipated Woodland Pride Celebration, happening on June 21.

This day will be marked by a parade that starts at 10 a.m. and finishes with a celebration at Woodland United Methodist Church. We will have a DJ, an Ice Cream Social, and many other activities.

Don’t miss this event. For more information, go to https://communicareole.org/events/woodland-pride.

As a church, we acknowledge that people of faith have not always been so welcoming and loving to those in the LGBTQIA community. Even now, many churches would seek to judge instead of offering love, acceptance, and affirmation.

United Methodist Bishop Karen Oliveto said it best when she said, “We can’t be the Church if we choose to overlook some members of the Body of Christ. If we define who we are by who we are leaving out, it begs the question: Have we ever let Christ in?”

As a local pastor, I want all to know that Woodland United Methodist Church is a church that is welcoming, affirming, and celebrating of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

The Woodland United Methodist Church is a welcoming, open, spiritual community that affirms the sacred worth of all persons. Our hearts, minds, and doors are open to all of Humanity. We seek to be led by the Holy Spirit and follow Jesus. All are welcome.

To all LGBTQIA+ people in our world who have felt unwelcomed, unloved, or less than, because of who you are and who you love, we at Woodland United Methodist Church want you to know that you are loved, that you are affirmed, that you are supported, and that you are wonderfully made in God’s image.

We know that the Church in this world has not always made you feel safe, loved, and welcome. We are truly sorry for this. As a pastor, I want you to know that I am praying for you as you navigate a world that may not always fully accept who God has made you to be.

Know that in this Church you will find a safe place to be who God made you to be, to worship a God of love, to be married to who you love, and to live life to its fullest. May you know the love of God and this community, and may you be proud of who you are.

Below is a portion of our Church’s Statement of Inclusivity. I pray it encourages you and gives you the knowledge that you are loved.

Woodland United Methodist Church declares the following:

Woodland United Methodist Church has been and will continue to be a congregation that welcomes all people in the name of Jesus Christ.

Woodland United Methodist Church is a church that is welcoming and affirming to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Woodland United Methodist Church supports and affirms that LGBTQIA people are welcome in all areas of our Church. This includes support for same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQIA people.