Pride gets spiritual with churches and synagogues hosting concerts, festivals, Shabbats and more

Whether it’s affirming spiritual worship services, concerts, Pride Shabbats, or full-out Pride Fests, spirituality is a central part of celebrating the LGBTQ+ Pride season throughout Illinois and Iowa this year.

The Quad Cities, for example, has four spiritual events this weekend, starting with a concert tonight (May 31) by drag roots rocker and recovering evangelist Flamy Grant. Many congregations are holding “Pride Sunday” tomorrow or during June.

Above is the logo for the new Affirming Congregations of the Quad Cities, a coalition of LGBTQ affirming congregations holding their first-ever “Light Up Pride” event Sunday evening.

At least six Illinois communities have annual Pride events organized not by Pride committees, but by churches. And Pride Shabbats are planned by temples and synagogues throughout the Chicago area throughout June.  Here’s a look at almost two dozen Pride events by or at spiritual and faith groups in Illinois and Iowa:

Today, May 31:

• Flamy Grant provides a free concert at First Presbyterian Church in Davenport, Ia., with a focus on fun-loving healing from religious trauma. The concert is at 7:30 p.m., 1702 Iowa Ave. Learn more about Grant in this article.

Spiritual Pride Events Sun., June 1 (tomorrow)

• First Presbyterian in Davenport, 1702 Iowa Ave., continues the Pride spirit with a Pride Sunday, themed “A Commitment to Justice.” The service starts at 9:30 a.m.
• Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities, Iowa’s only MCC church, holds its annual Pride service at 11 a.m. followed by a potluck. The church at 2930 W. Locust St. also hosts its Pride wall of art tomorrow.
• Lombard Pride Fest, just west of Chicago, takes place on the grounds of First Church of Lombard UCC, 220 S. Main St. The celebration includes music, vendors and kids’ fun from noon to 3 p.m.
• The new Affirming and Open Congregations of the Quad Cities hosts its first-ever Light Up Pride event, featuring brief talks by community members and a ceremony to light up Moline’s Spotlight Theatre with rainbow colors. The gathering is 8 to 8:45 p.m. at 1800 7th Ave., Moline.
• Pilgrim Congregational Church in Oak Park, west of Chicago, hosts a special Pride Sunday featuring Rev. Kirsten Peachey, director of faith and health partnerships with the Center for Faith and Community Health Transformation.

More Upcoming Pride Sundays:

• Des Moines, Ia.: Capital City Pride in Des Moines hosts a Pridefest Worship Service at 10 a.m. Sun., June 8, downtown. Several area congregations, including the Rainbow Faith Coalition of Greater Des Moines, participate in this annual tradition, conducted outdoors.
• Aurora, Ill.: New England Congregational Church, 406 W. Galena Blvd., and seven other welcoming Aurora congregations host a Pride pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. June 8, followed by an Interfaith service, and a walk to the Aurora Pride Parade. All donations collected will go to Aurora Pride.
• CR Pride hosts an Affirming and Welcoming Service at 3 p.m. Sat., June 14, at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, 401 4th Ave. SE.
• Unitarian Universalist Society in Coralville, Ia., hosts its annual Pride Sunday 10 a.m. June 15 at 2355 Oakdale Rd.

Above, CR Pride and severeal affirming congregations in Cedar Rapids, Ia., join together for an Affirming and Welcoming Service June 14 at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.

• Five affirming churches in Carbondale, Ill., host their Annual Pride Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. June 15. Hosted by First Christian Church, 306 W. Monroe St., the event features “music, poetry and protest.” 
• Presbyterian Church in Orland Park, Ill., hosts its Pride Worship Service at 10 a.m. June 22. Community groups will also be present.

Pride Shabbats and Jewish Gatherings

• June 4, 8-9 p.m.: “Pride and Joy Live” is an online opportunity to “celebrate LGBTQ+ Jewish life, creativity, and community. ” The event includes artists, musicians, storytellers and drag performers. It’s sponsored by Keshet. a nonprofit that advocates for equality and equity for LGBTQ+ Jews.

• June 14, 9:30 a.m.: Michal Keren-David, a former Israeli diplomat who helps find service gaps for international people living in the United States, will offer a special presentation about parental surrogacy as part of Pride Shabbat at Am Yisrael, 4 Happ Rd., Northfield.
• June 20, 6 p.m. : Rabbi Micah Buck, a longtime advocate for LGBTQ+ belonging in the Jewish community nationwide, will be the special guest for a Pride Shabbat dinner at Chicago’s Anshe Emet Synagogue,  3751 N. Broadway.
• June 21, 9:30 a.m.: Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook Illinois, hosts a Pride Shabbat featuring David Fink, co-founder of Outspoken LGBTQ+ Storytelling at Chicago’s Sidetrack the Video Bar. Congregation Beth Shalom is located at 3433 Walters Ave.
• June 27, 6:30 p.m.: Mishkan Chicago hosts an evening of music, liturgy and reflection in this Pride Shabbat at 4001 N. Ravenswood.

More Annual Pride Events Hosted by Spiritual Groups

• June 5, 5-8 p.m., Pride in Park Ridge: This evening celebration features kids’ fun, food trucks, entertainment, and appearances by local officials.  Happening at Hodges Park in Park Ridge, the gathering is sponsored annually by five welcoming Park Ridge congregations.
• June 7, 1-5 p.m., Community Pride Celebration, Des Plaines: Church of Christ UCC hosts this afternoon gathering that will include food trucks, vendors, kids’ games and family-friendly drag.
• June 8, 2-6 p.m., Interfaith Family Pride, Evanston: Happening at Raymond Park, this afternoon tradition features music by the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus and the Artemis Singers, drag performances, drag story time, and gospel music.
• June 21, noon-4 p.m., South Side Family Pride, Chicago: Beverly Unitarian Church, 10244 S. Longwood Dr., hosts this celebration of unity, diversity and inclusion featuring food, music and fellowship.

You can also enjoy “Queerly Beloved” June 20, a concert by Jennifer Knapp and Shawna Bowman at Friendship Presbyterian in Chicago.

Flamy Grant will perform in Belleville June 25. And Sycamore United Methodist Church south of Chicago hosts a Pride Formal Sun., June 28.

Find more Pride events at main-stream.org/lgbtq-pride-events. Cover photo features (clockwise from top left) Park Ridge Pride logo; Affirming Congregations of the Quad Citeis logo; Keshet logo; a phrase from Carbondale’s upcoming Pride Worshp; and a picture of those involved in Evanston’s Interfaith Pride Festival June 8.