June is also PRIDE MONTH! As I have shared before, this year PRIDE WORSHIP will be hosted by us on Sunday, June 30th at 9:30am. We will be joined by many other United Methodist Churches and churches that are part of the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches.

This coming week, US will observe ‘Juneteenth’ (June 19) which marks the day in 1865 when U.S. federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure all African Americans were freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. In reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t instantly free enslaved people. Many Black people continued to be held in bondage and worked for their white owners for nearly six years after the proclamation was signed.  

And just like that we are in June! Schools are wrapping up, graduates are being celebrated, vacation plans are underway, and with all that we celebrate that this is PRIDE month!