A Kansas City church’s pride display was vandalized. Here’s what they’re doing in response
Last month, Kansas City United Church of Christ’s pride flag was vandalized. Now, the church is organizing a day to repaint and add to its pride display.
In early May, the rainbow flag displayed outside the church was painted over with what the church described as “an obvious statement of discrimination and hate.”
Pastor Jessica Palys said she first noticed the vandalism on May 13. She said the church chose not to file a police report.
“We’ve been out and proud in celebrating the lives and love of all people — including our LGBTQIA+ friends and family — since 1997,” Palys said in a news release Friday. “A little paint is not going to change the way we embrace God’s love in the world.”
Kansas City United Church of Christ was among the first churches in Kansas City to declare its acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, according to Palys.
“Safe spaces are incredibly important to LGBTQIA+ youth and adults, and yet these spaces are under attack — not only from misguided individual acts but even from state-sponsored discrimination that has picked up at a frightening pace, endangering the lives and well-being of LGBTQIA+ people, especially young people,” Palys said.
On Saturday, the church is hosting an event to reinstate and expand its pride flag display. The church said it will add a freestanding rainbow display made up of doors on its front lawn facing the Trolley Trail.
“Now, more than ever, it’s important for our KC community to know that our congregation, as well as many other congregations in Kansas City, are safe spaces for people to live fully into the person God created in them,” Palys said. “You are not excluded from the love of God or from belonging to an accepting faith community. You are welcome and you belong here.”
Community members will gather at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church, located at 205 W. 65th Street in Kansas City, to paint until the project is finished.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 11:24 AM.
