Belonging: Worship in Pride Month 2024
Image reads “Belonging, Worship in Pride Month 2024.” There are a collection of pride flags around the lower and left sides of the graphic.
June is Pride Month! Our theme for the month is belonging. This theme is an invitation to come as you are. To really come as you are, unburdened by the expectations of white supremacy, transphobia, sexism, and all the other phobias and isms that ask us to fit into boxes that aren’t shaped for us. It is an opportunity to live into beloved community in a way that is a true welcome for all.
This month, there will be changes to the liturgy and things said that may spark discomfort. At times, things may seem chaotic. Know that these things are done with intention. We invite you into discomfort and will make space and time to process with you. We invite you into chaos with the understanding that the lack of order is done with intention and care.
We have crafted community guidelines for how we want to be together this month. We ask that you consider them as we engage this month together.
Community Guidelines
Be kind and respectful.
With the understanding that we are all created in the image of the Creator, let us strive to treat everyone with dignity. We want to create an open and affirming space that honors the personhood of all people and the intersections of marginalization at which they may exist.
Be brave.
As a gathered community, it is important that we have in-depth, sometimes hard conversations. Let us strive to be open to sharing our thoughts and receiving ideas, opinions and experiences that may be different from our own.
Be patient.
Differing opinions and ways of being can cause frustration and tension. Tension can be good as we learn and grow, but we don’t want it to turn disrespectful or mean-spirited. Let us strive to be patient and listen well. If at any point you feel overwhelmed, please let a trusted community member know or do what you need to best care for yourself.
Be yourself.
This is our space. It will be what we make it. Knowing that the imago Dei expands to depths we can not fathom, let us honor all identities and ways of being and strive to bring our full selves.
Be well.
Take care of yourself. Above all else, we want you to honor your body first and foremost. Snacks, water, etc. are welcomed. Whatever positioning (sitting/ standing/ laying, etc.) or clothing you choose to wear are welcome.
Preaching in Pride
During Pride, St. Luke’s is grateful to hear from a variety of preachers who will proclaim God’s good news to us and enrich our worship life with their perspectives.
First Sunday in Pride - June 2
Sharei Green (she/her/hers) is a Womanist theologian currently pursuing her MDiv at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Sitting at the intersection of fat, Black, femme and queer, Sharei has committed herself to creating spaces of community healing and sabbath, especially for Black women/ femmes and all their intersections. She is the co-author of God’s Holy Darkness, a children’s book that deconstructs anti-Blackness in Christian theology by celebrating instances in the story of God’s people when darkness, blackness, and night are beautiful, good, and holy.
Second Sunday in Pride - June 9
D’Angelo Smith (no pronouns) is a lead staff chaplain at Northwestern Medicine and is pursuing certification as an Educator with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. Before NM D'Angelo served as a pediatric Chaplain with Advocate Children’s Hospital. D'Angelo holds a Master of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary, has standing as an ordained minister with the UCC, and sits on the UCC National Board of Directors. D'Angelo work history includes: Pastor, Contingency Chaplain, Chaplain Resident, Youth Counselor, Youth & Young Adults Director, Youth Development Worker, and Fields Assistant Director. D'Angelo skills include church educator, ecumenical and interfaith relations, global mission, group process, justice advocacy, local church development, mission visioning and planning, and public speaking. D'Angelo is excited to work with children and their families as they learn to be active believers and co-creators. D'Angelo is a joyfully African American of dark skin, fiercely queer, and unapologetically Pentecostal.
Third Sunday in Pride - June 16
Hannah (she/her) is a second-year M.Div. student at LSTC working toward ordination as a pastor in the ELCA. She moved to Chicago in May of 2023 and has been organizing with The People's Lobby in Logan Square and in Hyde Park with her fellow seminarians. Hannah comes from the Pacific Northwest and loves being outside, oatmilk cappuccinos, and spending time with friends.
Fourth Sunday in Pride - June 23
Emily Moentmann(she/her) is a dual degree student pursuing her MDiv and MSW at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the university of Chicago respectively. She is passionate about mental health counseling and disability advocacy work and sees it as part of her future in bi-vocational ministry. In her free time, she is currently taking American Sign Language classes and hopes to one day be able to incorporate sign into her everyday ministry and social work practice.
She has two pets, a dog named Whinny and a cat named Nikko, and about seventy plants that she lives with and cares for.
Fifth Sunday in Pride - June 30
Dr. Karri (Whipple) Alldredge (she/her) joined LSTC in 2023 as Assistant Professor of New Testament. Her current research focuses on the ways in which trauma and violence shape biblical texts and how these texts continue to both perpetuate and provide hope in the midst of contemporary violence. Dr. Alldredge’s research on trauma is particularly informed by her broader work in queer hermeneutics and womanist/feminist dialogical biblical interpretation.
Dr. Alldredge teaches courses focused on how interpretations of sacred texts influence societal power structures, especially with regard to gender, sexuality and race/ethnicity. Her classes foster learning communities in which members can explore questions about identity, marginalization and justice within antiquity and today.
Dr. Alldredge is committed to addressing the role of religion in responding to issues of LGBTQIA+ rights, trans-exclusionary legislation, gender-based violence, and white supremacism through her work with grassroots organizations and United Nations NGOs. Prior to joining the LSTC faculty, Dr. Alldredge taught at St. Mary’s University (TX), New York University, and Rutgers University.