“For the flourishing of us all…”
That’s been an FPC tagline ever since our rebrand last year. Far more than a marketing slogan, however, it represents the very heartbeat behind why we do what we do.
Birthed from our work helping churches reimagine their physical spaces to contribute to their neighbors’ flourishing, we’ve seen how crucial it is to leverage our church buildings to cultivate spaces of belonging for all.
Yet during Pride Month, we are reminded of how frequently church spaces have become sources of pain, exclusion, and shame—the very things that work against our shared flourishing. We recognize how these buildings (and, for many, the faith they represent) can serve as a trigger of deep hurt and trauma for our LGBTQIA+ family.
Our pride during thisPride Month is celebrating everyone in our human family who bravely and vulnerably chooses to declare, “I am worthy of love, of belonging, of flourishing,” even as they are often faced with people and institutions who have told them otherwise.
We recognize that the broad spectrum of churches and organizations with whom we partner hold diverse perspectives on human sexuality. Yet we believe that all of us can, should, and must unite around celebrating the inherent worth and value of our fellow image-bearers.
Every.
Single.
One.
Further, for far too long our LGBTQIA+ brothers and sisters have been the ones forced to brave the discomfort of entering these spaces, burdened by an uncertainty of whether they will experience welcome and inclusion. For those of us entrusted with stewarding sacred spaces, it is past time that we be the ones to push through any sense of discomfort to cultivate belonging for all. We must answer the call to create spaces that contribute to our shared flourishing.
Friends, belonging won’t be found by playing it safe, and flourishing doesn’t come without hard work. But when we can see and affirm the belovedness in each and every person’s eyes—regardless of their religion, gender identity, sexuality, economic status, ethnicity, or any other identity marker—that’s when all of humanity wins and God’s vision for our shared flourishing gets one step closer to becoming a reality.
You belong,
