Join ReconcilingWorks this Sunday at the Annual Pride Parade!

See below for Pride Parade information:Please join ReconcilingWorks this Sunday, June 29th as we join in the annual Pride Parade with Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches (CCWC).There will be a Dedication & Communion Service at approximately 11:30am at the CCWC entry site (we are #27!). Step-off is scheduled for noon from Montrose & Broadway. Because of our early placement in the line-up, we estimate that walking time will be 1.5 - 2 hours.Congregations who have already voted to become "Reconciling in Christ" (ed. like St. Luke's!) are more than welcome to bring a group and march with ReconcilingWorks in the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches contingent. We ask that you not bring a large church sign or banner, unless the congregation or organization already also has become a member of the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches (ed. again, like St. Luke's!).RIC congregations participating in the parade with ReconcilingWorks do not need to RSVP, but I'd love to hear if your congregation is planning to bring a group! If you are an individual who wants to march with the Chicago chapter of ReconcilingWorks in the parade, but you aren't part of an RIC congregation, please get in touch with Pastor Carla Thompson Powell (revctp@gmail.com).+++FAQs & Tips:Please bring sunscreen, bottled water, and whatever else you may need. The parade will go, rain or shine, so if rain is forecast, bring your own umbrella.T-shirts: matching t-shirts for your church? Great!Stuff to distribute: You are welcome to distribute items if you wish (though paper often ends up on the ground). No tossing items (candy, beads, products) from the parade line. You may hand items to the crowd at the barricades though.Mostly be yourself: This might be your 45th parade or your 1st one. Regardless, be yourself. Soak up the energy of the day. That said, we march to provide a witness. Remember that we will be a blessing to bystanders who need this word from our churches. We don't march for ourselves. So, whether or not your an evangelist or exuberant extravert, smile at the crowd. Wave. Make eye contact. If you feel comfortable, gravitate toward the sidelines for people contact. If not, that's okay. Find your way to connect.Be prepared for detractors: There is typically a small, angry, group near the end of the parade. According to the City of Chicago, demonstrators (protestors) are allowed to be in parade assembly areas, and on the sidewalks of parade routes, as long as they are not blocking the proceedings, taking the place of a registered entry in the curb lanes of the assembly/staging area, or breaking city, county, state and federal laws. Parade participants, spectators, monitors, or marshals are not allowed to stop or remove them. Only police have the right to remove them.Help at the End: We will need help with the disbanding at the end. We will need lots of hands to dismantle and pack up as we celebrate. If you have flexibility to stay (or to join us then) to help, please do so. Also, we will need to return our signs to storage, etc.