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Rainbow Ministry Team

“A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

At Southminster, we believe that God unconditionally loves all people and intends for them to feel included and celebrated. To that end, we welcome all people into our church and into full participation in our church life, celebrating a rich diversity of sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

The Rainbow Ministry seeks to create a safe and affirming space for all God’s people; to educate and equip members and friends on how to expand our welcome to the LGBTQ+ community; and to bear witness to justice through our faith, words and actions.

Southminster belongs to the Covenant Network of Presbyterians and More Light Presbyterians, two national organizations of open, affirming Presbyterian churches.

Upcoming Events

Your Rainbow Ministry Team invites you to join us on Sunday, June 8th in the Pierce Room.

As many of you know, June is Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ Community. This year, Southminster participated in the 7th annual family-friendly Buffalo Grove Pride Parade. What an honor it was for all of us who represented our church for the first time in this joyous celebration. During our GIFT hour presentation, some of our marchers will share their experiences with you as well as photos taken at the parade. Then, as we view a brief but informative video on the history of Pride Month, we hope to answer the question, “Why does the LGBTQ+ community need a special parade?” There will be time for discussion afterward. We hope to see you there!

Recent Events

Southminster was recently featured in an article on the Buffalo Grove Pride Parade in the Lake county Sun-News on the front page! Please click here to read the article.

Through My Eyes video and discussion on LGTBQ+ youth of faith Click Here for Video
Ben Greene video interview and discussion on being transgender Click Here for Video Week 1 & Week 2
The Village video on transgender acceptance within families Click Here for Video
Transgender Day of Remembrance video
Discussions of the book Torn by Justin Lee. Click Here for Video

Resources

Pinta Pride Project – Card-writing initiative & Buffalo Grove Pride Parade
HRC – Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization in the U.S.
PFLAG – Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is a national support and information organization
GLSEN – Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is the leading national organization working to create safe and inclusive schools for all.
Ben Greene’s Good Queer News (his Instagram here)—Ben is a public speaker, LGBTQ+ inclusion consultant and openly transgender man
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion in the Church (PCUSA 2022)