by Rev. Chris Gilmore, Lead Pastor at Sixth Avenue UCC
There are moments when the church is called to gather inside our sanctuaries. And there are moments when the church is called to take its place in the streets. This year’s Denver Pride Parade was one of those moments.
Nine United Church of Christ congregations from across the Metro Denver area came together to march as one delegation. Nearly 100 people—children, youth, adults, clergy, and lay leaders—walked side by side in a joyful celebration of God’s boundless love. Together, we joined more than 270 organizations and an estimated crowd of nearly half a million people, offering a visible witness that the love of Christ is expansive, inclusive, and transformative.
As our delegation made its way along the parade route, the announcer shared these words with the crowd:
“The UCC churches of Metro Denver are proud to march in celebration and solidarity with our LGBTQ+ community. We believe the church is called not merely to welcome people, but to affirm them, celebrate them, and work for a world where every person can live openly, safely, and authentically as the beloved child of God they were created to be.”
Those words captured not only why we marched, but who we are called to be.
In a world where many LGBTQ+ people continue to experience rejection, discrimination, and even violence—sometimes at the hands of the church itself—our presence matters. We marched because welcome is not simply a slogan; it is a gospel commitment. We marched because every person deserves to know they are beloved by God, created in God’s image, and worthy of dignity, safety, and love. At a time when so many feel isolated or afraid, the church has an opportunity to proclaim something different: that there is a place where grace is greater than judgment, where diversity is celebrated as God’s gift, and where no one has to hide who they are to be embraced by the community of faith.
There was also something profoundly hopeful about marching together. While each congregation has its own unique ministry, we stood as one community of churches united in our commitment to justice, compassion, and inclusion. Our shared witness reminded us that we are stronger together and that the Holy Spirit continues to call the church beyond its walls to love our neighbors in tangible ways.
We are deeply grateful to every congregation that participated and to everyone who marched, cheered, carried banners, waved Pride flags, and shared God’s love with the thousands of people lining the parade route.
May we continue to be a church that shows up wherever love is needed most, proclaiming with both our words and our lives that God’s table is wide, Christ’s welcome is real, and there is room for everyone.
