HRC Blog

From Harry Knox, director of HRC's Religion and Faith Program: Last Sunday I preached and taught at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Marietta, GA. I was there to help round out the congregation's observance of Freedom to Marry Week, so I preached on the elements of a Spirit-filled movement for LGBT equality and then led a salon on the marriage equality movement in the US after worship. The day before, the congregation led the community in a witness to the beauty and power of love for all God's people. Led by their interim pastor, Rev. Marni Harmony, 70 or so folks gathered at East Cobb Park, dressed mostly in Valentine's Day red and holding signs calling for marriage equality. Singing justice songs and smiling, they marched out to form a huge human heart, the picture of which was carried by local media. You may remember that Cobb County, GA was, in the 1990s, a focal point of anti-LGBT political activity and pro-LGBT organizing. One of my personal memories from that time is of the night I was able to join Rev. Mel White, acclaimed author, activist, and founder of Soulforce, in testifying before the Cobb County Commission, asking the commission to overturn its anti-LGBT policies. Emerson UU's witness was different from Mel's and mine on that other occasion, but it was every bit as powerful - maybe more so. Their motivation was not first politics, but pastoral care. They wanted to send a message to LGBT people in Cobb County that their families are welcome and respected at Emerson. They sought also to share with non-LGBT residents the good news that inclusion and diversity and mutual respect are values held by their neighbors in that community. In worship the next day we sang a hymn that is a staple in UU congregations and in a growing number of Christian churches in our country. "We are a gentle angry people/and we are singing, singing for our lives." "We are gay and straight together/and we are singing, singing for our lives." Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation certainly exemplified the spirit of the hymn last week as they joined congregations around the country that took seriously both their pastoral mission and their calling to work for justice and spoke out in a variety of ways for marriage equality. Emerson blessed and inspired me - sent me back to work this week rejuvenated for the struggle. Our work goes on - and we are singing. Harry Knox, Director HRC Religion and Faith Program