Pride in Action: AWAB Joins the Fight for LGBTQ+ Religious Justice
In a modern-day Palm Sunday moment, AWAB joined the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders in DC to proclaim: queer faith is sacred, and the fight for dignity and liberation isn’t over.
On Monday, April 14, a group of AWAB Baptists participated in a rally along with the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders (CQCL) on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. CQCL is a Queer Christian Collective of organizational leaders dedicated to combating white Christian Supremacy through centering Queer people and innovative collaboration. By mobilizing its collective networks in outreach, education, support, and calls to action, CQCL works to uproot white Christian Supremacy for a future where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions are fully celebrated and liberated in their communities of faith and the public square. In the spirit of Palm Sunday, in which many churches remember the “protest” march Jesus engaged in while entering Jerusalem, the CQCL protested the many anti-LGBTQ+ executive orders coming out of the White House. Following are two reflections from AWAB members and their experience of this significant event.
Rev. Dr. Will Brown (he/him), member of University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, VA
I’d never pictured the Palm Sunday processional quite like this. Here we were, a bizarre collection of marchers, some wearing clergy garb, some waving palm branches, some holding protest signs. As we approached the Capitol, we got some curious looks.
A few tourists snapped photos as we processed past them to gather in our nation’s capital—a day after Palm Sunday marked Christ’s fateful arrival in his.
How do you respond to a political moment like this one? Over the past few months, many of us have been grasping for the best way to respond to the constant barrage of news coming out of Washington. As a parent of a nonbinary child, I worry about the extreme rhetoric concerning transgender and gender-expansive people, especially children. People are already being harmed, and many are justifiably scared about what comes next. What is the Church supposed to do in a time like this?
Like many of us, I grew up with a version of Christianity that emphasized individual faith and acts of compassion. Be a good person and be kind to others. Congregations then broadened this vision to the collective: help each other grow in faith, and join forces to extend charity to others. This isn’t wrong; it’s a beautiful way to be a faith community. But it’s not the whole story.
What we are now discovering some for the first time is that this picture of faith assumes certain things about the world. It presupposes a safe, comfortable position in a fair society: why would anyone harm those trying to do the right thing? That wouldn’t happen in America, right? It’s one of those assumptions that you take for granted until you can’t anymore.
Of course, not everyone grew up with the privilege of those assumptions. For Black people, queer people, non-English-speakers, and so many others, a healthy skepticism toward power has long been part of the church’s story. Maybe that’s what made this Holy Week demonstration so powerful.
It wasn’t just a public demonstration against certain political stances; it was also a “demonstration” of how to enact the Gospel faithfully in this moment, led by people who have long been walking this path.
So, I’m grateful. I’m grateful to the organizers who have been meeting together behind the scenes to build the relationships that make this work possible. I’m grateful to the diverse slate of leaders who prepared remarks and spoke boldly of their beliefs, refusing to cede the narrative of Christianity to the harshest voices in our culture. And I’m grateful to everyone who showed up in solidarity and faithful witness.
I went that day expecting a protest but experienced something more like church. We sang determined songs of faith. We prayed. We listened to preachers reflecting on the Gospel and its application to our context. We formed new relationships and deepened existing ones. It felt like worship because it was. This gathering gave a glimpse of what traditional expressions of worship may have been missing. If we only wave our Palm Branches in a tidy processional through the sanctuary, we’ve missed part of the radical message of the Gospel, which Christ proclaimed and enacted in real city streets.
Eventually, the program was over. And then it wasn’t. The benediction was pronounced, but people didn’t leave. Some of the participants went straight to one-on-one interviews with media outlets, deftly navigating gotcha questions and strategically steering their answers back to the Christian principles that compel us to fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Most of the crowd, though, just stuck around and talked to each other. Like a healthy congregation that lingers long after the organ postlude has concluded, this assembly remained long after the cameras turned off. Not to make a statement, but out of care for one another. They needed each other’s support, encouragement, and challenge. They needed community.
We all do. I’m grateful that this was one gathering of many, a demonstration of what can take place in any community and any local congregation. It was a chance to lift our voices to God while raising them aloud for all to hear the Good News of God’s love for all. Like any gathering of worship, we were reminded that this hard work matters, that we are in this together, that God goes with us.
And so, buoyed by the words, the songs, and the mutual support, the crowd dispersed and continued walking into Holy Week.
Evann Hausenauer (they/them), Director of Community Outreach at Lake Avenue Baptist Church, Rochester, NY, and Associate Chaplain of the Protestant Chapel Community at the University of Rochester
During Holy Week, I was fortunate enough to be able to join a group of other queer clergy and lay leaders in DC for a rally for LGBTQ+ Rights. We began the day with a gathering at the nearby United Methodist Building, where we were able to connect and talk while preparing signs for the rally. This time was almost as meaningful as the rally itself. I’d met many of the people in attendance at previous events or gatherings, but this was the first time we’d had a chance to sit down and really talk and trade stories.
I learned that one of the people attending had been a youth pastor before coming out and being fired. Another attendee had been raised in a fundamentalist charismatic church and had been driven away after coming out. A third was raised atheist and had only recently begun to explore Christianity. As for myself, I was raised in a welcoming and affirming church, but have often struggled to navigate being an openly gay Christian. “Too Gay for the Christians and too Christian for the Gays” was my high school motto.
Now, as an openly trans and queer almost-minister, I’ve learned that this can be a lonely road to walk. Even though I run in progressive circles, my hometown has very few openly queer clergy; and many of those reject the idea of open advocacy and activism. They prefer to remain quiet and under the radar; and while I’m understanding of their motivation, it doesn’t make it any less lonely and isolated. This is part of why the rally was so important to me and my journey as I move from seminary into ministry.
Following the breakfast gathering was a walk past the Capitol Building to a small park that was situated between Capitol Hill and the offices and parking garages that serve the building. This meant that people were walking right past us during the entirety of the programming. From where I was standing, I couldn’t see the people at the podium, so I let my eyes wander while I listened. Several times, I saw people stop to listen, or to read our signs, or even chat with some of the people with us. I saw people pump their firsts in shows of solidarity, take videos, take down information, and share their stories in whispered conversations.
Two moments from the rally especially stood out as proof of why we do this. The first was from a passerby, an older gentleman who was likely in his 70’s or 80’s. I overheard him thanking some of the people around me, and heard him tell them that he’s a veteran, that he’s horrified by the direction the government is heading, but that seeing so many younger people gathered gave him hope. This stood out not only because he was a random man walking through the park, but also because, when I first saw him approaching, I was worried he was there to debate us, or say something negative. His support was a reminder not only that we are not fighting alone, but also that even I have to challenge my presuppositions.
The second moment that stood out came from a soldier standing and watching us. From the fact that there were two soldiers and they were there the entire time, I assume they were there for security. They were standing within direct eyeshot, however, so I found myself looking at both soldiers quite a lot. One of them, a young woman in her early twenties, drew my attention, partially because she had beautiful braids and that always draws my attention, but also because of the golden cross necklace she was wearing. When I first noticed it, I found myself wondering if she was supportive of us, or only there because she had to be. Was she silently judging us? Did she secretly hate what we stood for? A few moments later, I saw her recording on her phone, and I looked more closely at her face. She was genuinely smiling, I could tell. I’ve faked a smile often enough that I could tell that hers was real. And she was looking right at the podium, nodding along with the poem we were listening to. Throughout the rest of the program, I continued to glance at her, and she remained genuine and engaged throughout the program.
The Welcoming Spirit
The Welcoming Spirit is a publication of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Association unless explicitly stated. To submit an article for consideration, please contact our Executive Director, Brian Henderson, at Brian@awab org or visit our website www.awab.org/newsletter for more information.
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A “WELCOMING SPIRIT” BI-MONTHLY COLUMN
Desk & Chair
Perspective from the Desk of our Board Chair
Lauren Ng Chair of the Board of Directors
“It’s Not About Pridefulness; It’s About Love.”
“He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-38)
A couple of years ago, our son (who was 13 at the time) came out to our family as being gay. We met his brave announcement with affirmation and much celebration.
A few weeks later he asked me to post something on my Facebook page so that all who know and love our family could find out at the same time. The idea of having to share his news repeatedly every time we saw another family member or family friend felt exhausting to him, and so, I drafted a post for his approval, and we published it. In that post I wrote, “I couldn’t be prouder of my son, for his courage to love himself and shine brightly in this world.”
I’ve had some people ask me why pride is the emotion associated with the LGBTQIA+ community. I always respond by saying that this is a question best answered on an individual basis by those who identify as LGBTQIA+. However, when they ask me why I as an ally feel a sense of pride for my two children who identify as queer, I share the words of my friend and pastor, Matt Nightingale, who once said, “Our pride is not the opposite of humility, but rather, the opposite of shame.”
“Our pride is not the opposite of humility, but rather, the opposite of shame.”
Many of us who are not LGBTQIA+ may encounter the Matthew 22 passage with our greatest challenge being to love others as much as we love ourselves. But for marginalized communities, it is the loving oneself that often proves the greater challenge. In an oppressively cisgender and heteronormative society, such communities must daily do battle with rhetoric and formalized systems that conspire to replace self-love with self-hatred. But Scripture reminds us that loving ourselves is a prerequisite for loving others, and both are to be modeled after God’s boundless love for us.
My prayer for my children is that they will never experience shame over their identities. They are beloved creations of God, knit together in my womb, beautifully and wonderfully made. They are invited by their Creator to live into the freedom of life lived to its fullest. As their mother, I feel a deep sense of pride that is not the opposite of humility, but rather, the opposite of shame, because they have chosen to love themselves and love others as Christ Jesus loves us… with tenderness, compassion, and joy.
Happy PRIDE Month! May you live unashamed and full of Christ’s love!
AWAB Releases New Pride Month Logos
by James Rice III, Communications Coordinator, AWAB
Every June, companies roll out limited-edition Pride logos sometimes to celebrate, sometimes to cash in. As I prepared to launch AWAB’s 2025 Pride initiatives, I wondered: why can’t we do the same?
With a little imagination (and some AI magic), I reimagined our logo and quatrefoil to reflect the bold, beautiful spectrum of our community. AWAB’s signature purple still anchors the design, but it now flows alongside the vibrant colors of the Progress Pride and Trans flags symbolizing our past, present, and future in one radiant burst of color. These limited-edition logos will be featured across AWAB’s platforms all month long and printed on exclusive Pride swag you’ll spot at events around the country. (Check our Pride Directory to find out where.) They’re temporary. Our Pride is not. I hope these logos bring you as much joy this season as they brought me to create them
A “Welcoming Spirit” Bi-Monthly Column
The Executive Summary
Views & Inspiration from our Executive Director
Brian Henderson Executive Director
“Clinging with Pride”
On a recent trip to visit AWAB churches in New England, I was delighted to see an AWAB window cling at one congregation’s primary entrance. This cling confirms a significant identity and commitment to the LGBTQ+ community for all members and friends of the church as well as those who visit for Sunday services and other events throughout the week.
It is a visible sign and signal that the church welcomes and affirms people across the spectrum of human sexuality and gender identity. Upon visiting another church on this same trip, it was heart-warming and humbling to learn that because of an AWAB window cling visibly on display, a middle-schooler from the congregation’s
neighborhood visited on a Sunday morning because her sibling identifies as non-binary and so she figured this church would be a safe place for them to explore getting involved.
In a time when there is so much happening politically that is frightening and overwhelming, it is important to remember that our AWAB congregations can play a key part in providing support, community, and care to all who walk through our doors, especially our LGBTQ+ siblings.
If your congregation does not have an AWAB window cling, please email janet@awab.org and we’ll make sure you receive one (or two or three if needed). Thank you for your part in helping AWAB extend a welcoming and affirming message across the Baptist landscape. In the spirit of Pride month, will you make sure your church is clinging with pride?
Join today to keep awab here tomorrow!
You can help ensure AWAB is better able to make our welcoming and affirming vision a reality. MemberBenefitsInclude: •SpecialQuarterlyCommunications •FreeordiscountedaccesstoallAWABevents •Specialrecognitioninournewsletterandwebsite
CBF General Assembly & ABC Biennial Breakfasts Keynotes Announced
AWAB invites you to two soul-nourishing gatherings this summer offering food for the body and fuel for the journey.
We’ll be hosting breakfast at two major Baptist gatherings, and you’re invited to start your day in the company of bold voices and affirming community:
Wednesday, June 25 – CBF General Assembly (St. Louis, MO)
In partnership with Baptist News Global, we’re honored to welcome Rev. Paul Raushenbush of the Interfaith Alliance (Washington, DC) as our keynote speaker.
Friday, July 4 – ABC-USA Mission Summit (Omaha, NE)
We’re excited to host Rev. Dr. Cliff Matthews, Jr., Senior Pastor of AWAB member church St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church (Charlotte, NC), who will offer a powerful word to begin the day.
These gatherings are more than just a meal they’re moments of connection, inspiration, and shared commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion across our Baptist family. Register for the CBF Breakfast HERE Register for the ABC Breakfast HERE
Meet AWAB On the Road this Summer!
We’re gearing up for a busy travel season this summer, and we would love to see you! Join us at any of these upcoming events:
We’re gearing up for a busy travel season this summer, and we would love see you! Join us any of these events:
6/15, Northminster Church, Monroe, LA
CBF General Assembly
6/24-26, CBF General Assembly
6/29, Noank Baptist Church, Noank, CT
6/29, Noank Baptist Church, Noank, CT
7/2-4, ABC Mission Summit/Biennial, Omaha, NE
7/2-4, ABC Mission Summit/Biennial, Omaha, NE
7/14-19, BPFNA Peace Camp, Mexico City
7/14-19, BPFNA Peace Camp, Mexico City
8/3, Central Baptist Church, Wayne, PA
8/10, Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship, Columbia, SC
8/1-3, AWAB/CBF Thriving Congregations Cohort, King of Prussia, 8/3, Central Church, Wayne, 8/10, Emmanuel Fellowship, Columbia, 8/16, Johnson Lecture, Hill Church, Louisville, KY 8/28-31, Wild Festival, Harmony, NC
8/1-3, AWAB/CBF Thriving Congregations Cohort, King of Prussia, PA
8/16, Johnson Lecture, Crescent Hill Baptist Church, Louisville, KY 8/28-31, Wild Goose Festival, Harmony, NC 6/15, Northminster LA
Help AWAB Raise 1 Million Dollars! Raise 1 Million Dollars!
Our 1-Million Dollar ‘Here We Grow’ Campaign is a significant step towards strengthening and empowering AWAB. Success allows us to build a robust and collaborative staff and an engaged board of directors, enabling us to provide high-quality LGBTQ+ resources to Baptists worldwide.
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As of May 1 2025, we have already received funds or pledges totaling $557,922! We have 20 more months to reach our goal.
A Church LGBTQ+ Pride Guide: 12 Dos and Don’ts at Festivals and Parades
by Cody J. Sanders, Associate Professor of Congregational & Community Care Leadership Reprinted with permission from Good Faith Media
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, honoring the 1969 Stonewall Uprising along with the many lives and movements that have fueled queer and trans liberation before and since. It is a time to celebrate LGBTQ+ lives and to show solidarity with queer and trans people whose rights and well-being are under attack at state and local levels all over the country
If your church is planning to support your local Pride parade or festival this year, here are a few things to keep in mind that may help your presence be good news to Pride-goers and a beautiful expression of your church’s ministry of love and justice.
1. Be trauma-sensitive. Churches have been painful places for many LGBTQ+ people. Some churches have been places of healing for LGBTQ+ people. For nearly all queer and trans people, church is complicated. (For a deeper dive into this subject, see this article.)
You don’t need to walk on eggshells. Just respect the level of engagement people want to have with you. If they don’t reciprocate your smiling greetings and walk in the other direction, there is no need to take offense. You don’t know what church represents for them.
If they approach you to unload some of their painful past with churches, don’t get defensive. This isn’t about you and your church. It is about someone’s real experience with church.
So be a listening presence. Say you’re sorry that happened to them and that it was wrong. If they don’t believe your messages of LGBTQ+ love and affirmation at first or seem skeptical about your presence, that is perfectly understandable. For many LGBTQ+ people, a truly affirming church is a new concept and may be hard to imagine given the larger reality of antiLGBTQ+ sentiments among churches. Just be kind and answer any questions they may have. For many queer and trans people, your mere presence at Pride is going to be a beautiful expression of love.
To keep reading, click here.
AWAB in The News:
AWAB is proud to be mentioned in two recent publications: A Baptist News Global article discussing the “Recommit to Pride” Campaign and a feature story in USA Today’s 2025 Pride Edition (Pages 40 - 43) as part of an article highlighting LGBTQ+ people finding their faith in this challenging season.
The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists celebrates the life and legacy of Rev. Mike Easterling, former pastor of Madison Avenue Baptist Church (New York, New York) who was an influential voice during the beginnings of AWAB in the early 1990s. We pray God’s peace upon the Easterling family during this time.
Are you looking to connect with queer clergy colleagues? Register here to participate in our monthly conversation on the first Thursday of each month.
It’s not too late to register for classes (some begin as early as June 9).
Find out more and register here for the following courses:
Spiritual Practices
Providence, Evil, and Suffering
Introduction to the Coach Approach in Christian Vocation
By vote of the Board of Directors
we welcome the following churches into our association:
Canterbury Community Church Canterbury, NH
New Market Community Church New Market, NH
West Acton Baptist Church Acton, MA
By vote of the Board of Directors
we welcome the following churches into our association:
First Baptist Church Indianapolis, IN
In true AWAB welcoming fashion, members of Judson Memorial Baptist Church (Minneapolis, MN) sent handwritten notes to welcome our newest AWAB member churches. Also below, you’ll see Revs. Yamina Apolinaris and Victor Vázquez proudly holding their official AWAB membership certificate a beautiful moment of connection, affirmation, and radical hospitality.
Member Spotlight
Check out what’s been happening around the association
Congratulations To:
Member church, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church (Charlotte, NC), on its 75th Anniversary and its pastor, Rev. Dr. Cliff Matthews, Jr., who is celebrating his 25th anniversary as Senior Pastor. Rev. Matthews serves on AWAB’s Executive Committee and Board.
Scott Green and Rebecca Stephenson on their appointments to Brite Divinity School’s Board of Trustees. Scott Green is a real estate investor and has long been involved in the field of music, and has sung in several major choral groups over the years. Scott currently serves on AWAB’s Board of Directors. Dr. Rebecca Kinney Stephenson is a transgender woman who is Vice Chief of Surgery for Quality, Safety and Patient Experience at the JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas and has practiced Trauma Surgery, Emergency General Surgery and Surgical Oncology since 2004.
Member Spotlight
Check out what’s been happening around the association
Congratulations To:
Kurt Kaufman on his recent graduation from Central Seminary. Kurt previously served on AWAB’s staff as Communications Coordinator.
Check out this book by AWAB friend and supporter, Rev. Paul Raushenbush
Raushenbush writes, “I lamented, as Holy Week rapidly arrived, that I didn't have a children's story of Jesus that reflected my beliefs that I could share with my two sons and their young minds, hearts and spirits. So I boiled down two thousand years of theology and almost three decades of ministry to the words you are about to read.”
To purchase this book, click here.
At long last, this exciting contribution to welcoming and affirming ministry in Baptist life is soon to be in your hands. While our original timeline has changed, the book is nearing its production stage. It’s not too late to support this project. Please visit: awab.org/50th-anniversaryi-book where we will post updates as the book enters production.