Members of Des Moines Grace UMC strut in the Capital City Pride Parade. Photo by Ben Campney
Submitted by Rev. Nate Nims, Pastor Walnut Hills United Methodist Church. Photos by Ben Campney, Grace Des Moines United Methodist Church.
As the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church met in Des Moines for its annual meeting, reconciling and affirming clergy and laity gathered to celebrate Pride Month with a Pride Communion Service, Ecumenical Pride Worship, and the Capital City Pride Parade.
The Pride Communion Service was held after business concluded on the first day of the conference. Nearly 80 clergy and laity gathered to celebrate communion. Centered on Paul’s words in Galatians 3:24-28, communion brought all who gathered in Christ Jesus to celebrate at the open table.
The liturgy, written by Rev. Nate Nims, proclaimed, “Jesus welcomes all to this table without exception. We welcome all to this table. We follow Jesus’ commandment to love one another regardless of age, race, ethnic background, gender, marital status, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic status, or any other human condition. All are embraced in the boundless love of Christ.”
Rev. Jordan Derhammer Capek and Rev. Dr. Greg Neal read the communion liturgy, leading the service with an atmosphere of joy, acceptance, and solidarity, with attendees expressing a shared commitment to inclusivity and equality.
The Pride Communion Service came together in collaboration between Rev. Nate Nims, Rev. Dr. Greg Neal, Rev. Jordan Derhammer Capek, Rev. Andrea Kraushaar, Rev. Tim Bonney, Rev. Lee Schott, and Rev. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz.
For the first time at Capital City Pride, 11 congregations across the Des Moines metro, including three United Methodist Churches—Grace, Trinity Las Americas, and Walnut Hills—collaborated to host an ecumenical pride worship service Sunday morning. This unprecedented gathering brought together diverse faith communities in a collective act of worship and celebration.
The Ecumenical Pride Service was marked by vibrant expressions of faith through music, prayers, and messages of God’s love and acceptance. Attendees from numerous mainline denominations (Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Lutheran, Presbyterian, American Baptist, and Episcopalian) joined with hundreds in attendance creating a powerful display of unity and solidarity.
Watch the Ecumenical Pride Service here.
Rev. Dr. Greg Neal of Grace UMC was one of three queer clergy to give a message during the Ecumenical Pride Service. “I should have been kept out. But by God’s grace, we can all be gathered into that beautiful house of love and grace,” he remarked.
That same afternoon, The Capital City Pride Parade went through downtown Des Moines with music, dancing, and several United Methodist Churches. Many Reconciling Churches have participated in the parade for several years, including Indianola First, Walnut Hills, and Grace Des Moines to name a few.
The participation of UMC congregations in these pride events points toward the broader movement within the church of embracing and affirming LGBTQ+ folks following the removal of restrictive language at the 2020/2024 General Conference. As the Iowa Annual Conference came to a close, the impact of these pride celebrations was evident. They left a lasting impression on participants and set a hopeful precedent for greater inclusivity within The United Methodist Church.
If you or your congregation would like to learn more about ways to celebrate Pride month, the Mountain Sky Conference of the UMC has created a Guide to Pride that can be found here.