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The Rev. Russ Boyd and Ridglea Christian Church congregants have been searching for ways to demonstrate allyship to Fort Worth鈥檚 LGBTQ+ community.

The church made a task force that led the congregation through a three-year process of assessing inclusiveness, identifying areas for growth and providing educational opportunities focused on LGBTQ+ inclusion. In 2022, church members voted to publicly identify as an open and affirming church and joined Disciples AllianceQ, the denomination鈥檚 LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

Now, for the first time, Ridglea Christian Church congregants will join a number of Tarrant County churches and religious institutions listed as ally sponsors for Fort Worth鈥檚 Trinity Pride Fest. While the festival is a time of celebration, it is also a way for some churches and religious groups to demonstrate allyship toward the LGBTQ+ community, Boyd said.

Boyd says he understands if someone of the LGBTQ+ community had an experience that led them to deciding 鈥渢o never set foot in a church again.鈥� For those who are looking to still be a part of a faith community, being a part of Trinity Pride is a way to let people know there are churches that are affirming, he added.

鈥淭o me, what鈥檚 amazing is that in spite of how people have been treated, they still feel a draw to be part of church, and still want that in their life,鈥� Boyd said. 鈥淎nd so from our perspective, we want to be clear who we are.鈥�

Religious divides over LGBTQ+ issues

Broadway Baptist Church was in 1882 as part of the Southern Baptist Convention, but was disfellowshipped in for its inclusion of LGBTQ+ members and allowing women to serve in leadership roles within the church.

Participating in Trinity Pride is a way to demonstrate solidarity with the Fort Worth LGBTQ+ community, said Ryon Price, senior pastor at Broadway Baptist Church.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so many harmful messages out there being sent to LGBTQ persons and at the heart of so much of that negative messaging is sadly, sadly religious,鈥� Price said. 鈥淭he church has done so much harm and has inflicted so much pain and trauma.鈥�

While the festival typically features a market of local vendors and performances from musical artists and drag queens, booths at the churches are there to show support either by passing out flags or fans, said the Rev. Elizabeth Pass, senior minister of The Welcome Table Christian Church.

鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a booth that鈥檚 saying, 鈥楬ey, come in here and you need spirituality,鈥欌�� Pass said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more just about being present and that we鈥檙e there to learn at the same time to serve, and not necessarily there to get anybody into our doors.鈥�

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth , which was part of a among Episcopalians with opposing viewpoints on blessing same-sex unions and ordaining women and gay priests. At Trinity Pride, ally sponsors representing the Episcopal Diocese of Texas North Region will offer a way for people to exercise their faith through a Pride Eucharist, said the Rev. Brian Richard Seage, assisting bishop for the diocese.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a great opportunity for people to come and worship together and to receive sacraments,鈥� Seage said. 鈥淭hat ends up being a really good opportunity for the Episcopal Church to share an openness and make sure that the table is God鈥檚 table and all are welcome.鈥�

While eight out of the nine ally sponsors for the 2025 festival represent churches or religious institutions, faith-based groups have been a part of Trinity Pride since the beginning, board President Roger Calderon said.

鈥淭hese are organizations and congregations and churches who are out there in their communities making it known that their faith loves everyone equally and involves everyone, and I think that鈥檚 great, and I think that is what faith should be,鈥� Calderon said. 鈥淎s someone who has always kind of questioned that aspect of our community, it鈥檚 just really great being able to see churches like our sponsors really kind of step up and embrace everyone.鈥�

Galileo Church, a Disciples of Christ congregation in southeast Fort Worth, builds into its budget each year to support Pride events, the Rev. Dr. Katie Hays said. The congregation has been supporting Trinity Pride since its inception, she said.

鈥淲hen Galileo first started, we would very often be the only church represented at any Pride event. But then we started noticing we鈥檙e far from the only ones,鈥� Hays said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really happy to welcome all those folks in that space and to not, not be such an anomaly.鈥�

As the number of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community increases, it鈥檚 important to provide a supportive presence, said the Rev. Dr. Stephen Cady, president of Brite Divinity School.

While some LGBTQ+ students have expressed to Cady that they feel comfortable at Brite, he said, they feel anxious about potentially being targeted while on their way to school.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a very real concern and a very real fear and a sense of being targeted. So it鈥檚 really important at this moment, as it鈥檚 important at every moment, to stand up for those minority populations, and in this case, for Trinity Pride to be a vocal advocate and an ally in the best way that we can be as an institution,鈥� Cady said.

About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. have suffered from religious trauma at some point in their life, according to a 2023 by the Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry Journal. LGBTQ+ individuals experience some of the , according to the study.

Other times, having a booth at Trinity Pride is a space to help make reparations with those who have had a negative experience with a church because of their identity, said the Rev. Dr. Callender, pastor of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church.

鈥淚 always begin by saying, 鈥業鈥檓 sorry,鈥欌�� Callender said. 鈥溾�楬ow can we be here for you in a new way?鈥� It鈥檚 a personal one-on-one invitation to talk, to be listened to, to find a safe space.鈥�

One of the things that Celebration Community Church interim pastor David Grebel is looking forward to is the march that will open Trinity Pride.

While Celebration Community Church is listed as an ally sponsor for Trinity Pride on its website, the term ally may not apply to the congregation since it has been vetted into the LGBTQ+ community through its entire existence, Grebel said.

The nondenominational congregation in Fort Worth鈥檚 historic Near Southside began in 1993, focusing as a place of worship for LGBTQ+ individuals, according to its website.

For over 30 years the congregation has been a place for worship and support groups. Now, to see other churches join Celebration Community Church in event鈥檚 like Trinity Pride sends a powerful message, Grebel said.

鈥淏eing in that march with so many other faith communities who have gathered together in support of the LGBTQ community, and there鈥檚 real power in the feet and in the statement of those bodies,鈥� Grebel said. 鈥淚t says to Celebration, we are not alone 鈥� and that鈥檚 a powerful message.鈥�

Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org. 

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