by Stephanie York-Arnold, GCSRW General Secretary
Recently I experienced the Kin-dom of God on Bourbon Street in the middle of a Pride Parade.
Let me explain. I’d just finished my Annual Conference travel season in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and it happened to be my 27th wedding anniversary, so my husband and I trekked to New Orleans to celebrate.
While exploring The Garden District, our Uber driver mentioned it was Pride weekend. I had a sneaking suspicion where the parade route would land, in The French Quarter, right where we were eating dinner that night. Late in the afternoon, we left early to beat the crowds. As we rounded a corner, we found ourselves on the sidewalk while a police escort led a caravan of scantily clad bicyclists. Crowds cheered, cameras raised, people were completely delighted with themselves and one another.
After dinner, we inadvertently walked straight into the parade itself: hundreds of people on trucks and trailers, dressed in every shade of rainbow, dancing, singing, calling out “Happy Pride!”
I’ve been to plenty of Pride parades, but New Orleans outdid them all. Past the shock value, what moved me most was the sheer vulnerability of it: every body shape, every style, every color, age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and ability, gathered in the French Quarter. No matter what someone looked like or had, or didn’t have, people greeted each other with “Happy Pride,” which really meant, “You belong.”
Knowing people, I love deeply those who have wrestled hard with body image and self-acceptance. That radical love of self and others that night undid me. I have continued to think about this since that evening. Everyone who showed up belonged. Everyone was seen, accepted, fully included.
Those are markers of the Kin-dom of God. Inclusion. Love. Acceptance. Belonging. The empowerment of true self. That’s what I feel called to help offer our world.
I tell you this story because that kind of belonging and empowerment is my dream for what GCSRW helps the Church live into. I believe this has always been our identity, but we’ve had seasons where we have leaned in deeply, and seasons we have treaded carefully. We are done treading carefully. Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world must mean inclusion, love, acceptance, belonging, and empowerment for ALL, or it doesn’t mean anything at all. I want us to radically lean into our mandate: challenging our worldwide Church to the full and equitable inclusion of women at every level of leadership. Not just for women’s sake, but for all people, because the true liberation of one should always be the liberation of all.
To do that, I believe the mission and mandate of GCSRW must become woven into the very fabric of what it means to be The United Methodist Church. We cannot be seen as a side agenda or optional for those members who have an appetite for “prophetic or justice” work. No, every region, every annual conference, every district, every local congregation, every pastor, and every member needs to understand the values that underlie our work. No one should be questioning whether women are leaders in the church, whether they lead the Trustee meeting or preach behind the pulpit. Women’s collaborative and decisive voices should be celebrated and called upon for such a time as this. Worship services should speak of The Divine in as broad and creative ways as Scripture herself does. God is so much more than just Lord, King, or He/Him. We must all become watchful for the erosion of trust and healthy boundaries in relationships, to eradicate sexual misconduct, harassment, and discrimination of any kind within our Beloved Community, as these things are NOT markers of the Kin-dom of God and have no place within the Church.
To do this, GCSRW must build relationships. We must listen to and learn from the cultural perspectives of regions throughout our connection so that we can work together to empower women around the world. We must not shrink from speaking truth to power and hold a firm line on accountability when harm has happened. We must speak with love and center victims and survivors, always considering first what they need for healing. We must walk alongside the Church and her people and challenge her to live fully into who the Gospel calls her to be.
I want the Church, and the whole world, to feel as radically accepting, loving, and full of belonging as Bourbon Street felt that night, in the middle of a Pride Parade. When every single one of us can safely walk into a United Methodist Church and be recognized, celebrated, empowered, and loved, we will know we are well on our way!