By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
Recently, several Northfield community faith leaders published an open letter to the community regarding their church’s participation in Pride in the Park and providing a space for LGBTQ individuals within their church.
“We are deeply mindful of the real and lasting damage that has been done to LGBTQ+ individuals and communities in the name of religion. We carry that awareness with us and seek to embody a different witness, one rooted in love, humility, and repair.”
The letter is signed by 10 of Northfield’s faith leaders representing several different churches. In a conversation with KYMN, Rev. Pam Fickensher of St. John’s Lutheran Church shared why the group felt compelled to speak:
“And so I just think from a human perspective, can we not see one another as human beings who are worthy of love and of dignity and step away from the debate for a moment just to focus on the well-being of the humans in our community.” – Rev. Pam Fickenscher of St. John’s Lutheran Church, KYMN News Interview
After protestors had gathered at one of the entrances to Pride in the Park this year, the group felt compelled to speak against the speech. Rejecting both the verbal violence directed at LGBTQ people and the later vandalism of the meeting place of the protestors. Rev. Cindy Maddox acknowledged that there can be a difference of beliefs, but she called for love and not hate:
“And I have great respect for people who have different views on this subject. Where I have a problem is when it turns into hate, where a disagreement of belief turns into the right to condemn people to shout horrific, painful things to folks that’s where I draw the line.” – Rev. Cindy Maddox, of First United Church of Christ, KYMN News Interview
Rev. Fickensher noted that they felt it was particularly important to speak because of the national conversation about the issue
“Because the national narrative has so often been diminished, and to sort of saying that the Christian perspective is the anti-lgbtq perspective, we really think it’s important that those of us from Faith communities that are affirming speak up.”- Rev. Pam Fickenscher of St. John’s Lutheran Church, KYMN News Interview
Here the full conversation with Rev. Fickenscher, Rev. Maddox, and Rev. Sara Smalley of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship here:
Newscasts on KYMN air on weekdays at 6am, 7am, 8:30am, Noon, 3pm, and 5pm. If you miss it live, you can subscribe on your preferred podcast app:
> Click here to listen on Spotify
> Click here to listen on Apple Podcast
Do you have a news tip or press release? Send it to us email: Logan@kymnradio.net
