"A Hope for Pride" - A Pride Month Reflection from Rev. Scott A. Hill

The opposite of pride is shame, humiliation, misery, and sorrow. Generations have lived in this condition because of false beliefs forced upon them. Some of these false beliefs have come from the Church. Can you imagine living a life of shame? Can you imagine living every day feeling humiliated? Would you want to live a life of misery and sorrow? Would you want your neighbor to live like this?

I remember growing up in the Church and hearing the sermons condemning the “sodomites.”  I remember when HIV/AIDS first impacted the United States, faith leaders claimed this was God’s punishment for those who were gay. I would ask myself, but I thought the Church was a representation of God’s love for all.

The month of Pride allows each person of the rainbow community, or the LGBTQI+ community, to live an authentic and honest life without shame, humiliation, misery, and sorrow. I believe it is important for all to live authentically.

The celebration of Pride month allows all rainbow people, no matter what their color, their national origin, or their faith, to live with self-respect and dignity. I believe it is important to have self-respect and dignity.

The flying of the Pride Flag demonstrates that all people, including the rainbow people, have the right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” I believe this is what our ancestors in the United States have fought for, and we need to continue to fight for.

However, in the history of our United States, this has not always been the case. We have achieved wonderful progress. Yet, that progression has been under attack. The fight for freedom is a fight against oppression and challenges the status quo. Our late dear Rev. Dr.  Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

We learn in John 17 that Jesus prays for all his believers. Jesus prays for unity among his followers. My hope and prayer for the Church is that all believers will be unified in love for all God’s children, not only accepting of the rainbow people but empowering them within the Church.

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Rev. Scott A. Hill is a DSF/CST graduate (M.Div./2016) and the Associate Pastor for Valley Ministries Metropolitan Community Church (VMMCC) in Stockton, CA. VMMCC is part of the Metropolitan Community Church denomination, which was the first denomination for LGBTQI+ people. Stockton is in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and has a large portion of farm workers. The church members work hard to feed those who are without houses with a food pantry for those able to come to the building and deliver lunches to those living on the streets. They serve the farm worker community by helping the youth every year with back-to-school packs and Christmas gifts. Scott is also a Senior Internal Labor Organizer for AFSCME 3299, which represents the workers within the University of California, and is always leading the way for social justice.