Why Pride

You may notice a slight change in the colors of our logo this month. June is “Pride Month”, it is an entire month dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQIA+ voices, celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture and the support of LGBTQIA+ rights. A few years ago, Salem First Presbyterian Church made a commitment to be a More Light Presbyterian Congregation. More Light Presbyterians engages over 230 congregations and thousands of individuals in the Presbyterian Church (USA), enabling Presbyterians to lead LGBTQIA+ service and advocacy in communities nationwide. More Light’s mission has always been to empower and equip individuals and congregations to live into their welcome for LGBTQIA+ people.

Because of our commitment to becoming a full inclusion community of ordinary people experiencing and embodying the extraordinary love of God we are committed to showing our support for the LGBTQIA+ community, not only during the month of June, but throughout our entire witness to what God is doing in the lives of our members, friends, and in our community of Salem, OR.

In Genesis Chapter 9, following the flood narrative God makes a promise to Noah and to the

world. Starting in verse 8, the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

captures it like this,

God made a promise to Noah and his descendants to never again destroy the people on the earth. For many years, God’s words have been used as a weapon to seek to destroy our siblings in the LGBTQIA+ community. During Pride Month we will take the small step honoring God’s promise by representing God’s bow with the colors of our logo. Seeking to never again allow God’s Word to be used as a weapon to destroy but as a tool to live into our vision of being a Christ-centered listening-learning community, embracing and accepting everyone, engaging the needs of our city, finding ways to see, know, care for, and empower our neighbors as we welcome them home.

Blessings and Happy Pride