June 7 - Pride!

The Pride flag is flying brightly above the entrance to Tobermory United Church. It will stay there for the month of June, its rainbow colours a visual symbol of what Jan Mac Donald’s hand-painted sign already communicates: All are welcome in this place.

Tobermory United’s annual Pride service is something that we take seriously. Preparations for this year’s service have been happening over the past many weeks. It all began with a conversation that occurred at the Jeff Bird concert back in April. Michael Rouse and Peter van Ryn, local community members and artists, were in attendance. Somehow, Pat Neuwelt found out that these two could sing, and an invitation was made to sing at Tobermory United’s Pride service. M.E. Kish and Gwen Chapman, who usually lead music during TUC’s Pride service, will be in Ireland this month, but, in their absence, why not sing one of the beautiful songs that Gwen and M.E. have written and arranged together?

So, it was decided that Michael, Peter, Pat and I would sing “An Ocean of Love.” While practicing, another idea presented itself. What if each of us took one of the lines of vivid lyrics from “An Ocean of Love” and offered a personal reflection.

So, that’s what’s going to happen on Sunday, as well as the stewardship team presenting the stories that have arisen from the invitation to place sticky notes on a board through the month of May, all of them answering the questions, “What does Tobermory United Church mean to me?” as well as “What does Tobermory United Church mean to the community?” To top it off, the stewardship team will host a light luncheon following the service, as they always do on the first Sunday of the month. After that, all are welcome to slip over to Dunk’s Bay Cemetery to take part in the Decoration Day service that Royal Canadian Legion Tobermory Branch 290 will hold there at 12:30. And some people think we are bored living in Tobermory!

To prepare for Sunday, read Psalm 139 and ponder the following:

1.      How are you “fearfully and wonderfully made”?

2.      Who are you thinking of on Pride Sunday?

Image: The Pride flag at Tobermory United!