I wanted to take the time and wish and wish all of you a very Happy Gay Pride Weekend, especially those of you in the Clevelan area. The march was today as was the festival.
Jim and I decided to go today, the first time we have been able to go as a couple and Jim's very first Gay Pride parade. We ran into some old friends of mine there, which is always nice especially when those friends are long term survivors of AIDS and they are still alive. The one with 22 years of living with AIDS this summer, gives me and I am sure others living with this disease great hope.
Well we arrived in Cleveland, decided to march in the parade and actually ending walking with the United Church of Christ contingency, 5 churches overall and probably around 300 people in all. Well we were asked --to lead the whole contingency with the "G-d is still speaking" slogan they use. Like I said Jim's first parade ever and he is carrying a banner--he made me so proud. So many groups and so diverse--gay roller derby girls on roller skates none the less, a gay scooter club, a gay high school student support group near where I grew up, of course your leatherman and drag queens, a gay square dancing club, a gay marching band--you get the idea.
The weather for Cleveland today was absoultely goreous, nice and sunny a little warm around the collar but at least it wasn't raining. So we got a little to much sun, so every bone in my legs hurt I had such a nice time and hopefully in the process made some kind of difference. Tommorrow at church actually we are going to approach the pastor about our church marching in next years parade, considering we have 5 openly gay couples in ouor church including our pastor and his husband/partner.
I also got a business card from the pastor that asked us to lead the cintigency for UCC to think about becoming involved with UCC at a national level, which I am gving serious thought too.
No comments:
Post a Comment