By Jacqui Morton

A gathering at the First Congregational Church on the first of August may have been planned in response to a somber moment, but the feeling in the air was almost joyful. 

Declan, age 5, with their mom, Beth, told me a little bit about what brought them that evening: “We go to church here and some flags were hurt. We talked about the meaning of the flag, which is that love is for everyone, and we felt it’s important to show up, to show our support, and to show that yes, we believe love is for everyone.” 

That aligns with an official statement from the Town of Natick, on the community event and the incidents leading up to it: “In the early hours of Sunday, July 28th, two Natick churches were each targeted by an act of hate, aimed squarely at their support of the LGBTQIA+ community. Both the First Congregational Church of Natick (FCC) & Christ Lutheran Church Natick (CLC) have long been allies of the LGBTQIA+ community and each church strives to foster a congregation anchored in inclusivity. Sunday was a calcu lated act of hate and the Town of Natick stands firmly against all forms of bigotry and hate. Natick is firmly committed to celebrating inclusivity so ALL who call Natick home, and those who visit, feel welcomed and supported.” 

Members of the FCC church community were particularly lifted by the show of love. One reflected, “We are celebrating our 20th year as an open and affirming congregation.” 

Open and affirming is a technical term, the United Church of Christ’s designation for congregations, campus ministries, and other bodies in the UCC which make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. Nearby Christ Lutheran Church shares a similar mission: We extend God’s own welcome regardless of race, ethnicity, ability, economic status, or other human distinction. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation, we offer a particular welcome to all gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, and we commit to racial equity.

Hate is never easy to understand, but in this instance, it was particularly difficult. Looking around, my new friend in the Adirondack chair added, “it’s great to see that the community so clearly supports the values that we uplift inside this church.”  

Though the rainbow flag, or peace flag, is consistently present in front of FCC, one wouldn’t have been able to try to count the rainbows on the lawn or sidewalk on one of the steamiest evenings of the summer. The constant flow of support(ers) was palpable over three hours scheduled for the event across the street from the popular Natick Nights outing. Introducing each other and chatting over smiles, what had resulted from one act of hate was an opportunity for the community to come together for an image much more memorable and beautiful. 

A table hosted by OUT MetroWest welcomed a steady presence of stoppers-by, some learning for the first time about the organization’s programs for LGBTQ+ young people, which have grown over more than a decade, in direct response to community needs. Although the peace flag or rainbow flag is a visible symbol of our values to welcome and celebrate all, it is also a reminder of the work still ahead. Adolescents who identify as LGBTQ+ remain among those who are at greatest risk for mental health issues and bullying in school. 

Organizers for the gathering of unity and love were grateful for the community’s presence. Reverend Cindy at FCC shared, “As someone who is still pretty new to Natick, I’ve loved seeing the sense of community in this town, and was in awe of how present it was. My hope is that members of the queer community who were there soaked up that love and affirmation. And for folks who couldn’t be there, I hope the feeling ripples out to surround them as well. Huge thanks to town staff, elected officials, and area religious leaders in particular for showing up in their official roles, as an act of public witness. We’ll just keep sharing this message...love is louder.”