There are moments in public life when a community must truly, unapologetically, and unflinchingly decide who it is. release of sacred values, sharing freedom The work by Lavender Interfaith Collective (LInC) is one of those moments. sacred values, sharing freedom This is a bold, interfaith statement and call to action that affirms the inherent dignity of LGBTIQ+ people, urges communities, leaders, and institutions to defend human rights, expand democratic freedoms, and courageously stand in solidarity against all forms of anti-LGBTIQ+ violence and discrimination. It’s more than just a statement. It is a line drawn in the sand by people of faith who refuse to let fear make the final decision. I am writing this as one of them.
For too long, religion has been used as a weapon against LGBTIQ+ people, especially transgender and non-binary youth. They are targeted with cruelty that should crush every heart awakened to the sacred. Many of us as faith leaders have watched this unfold with sadness, anger, and growing conviction that silence is no longer an option. After all, silence is not neutral. Silence is complicity.
sacred values, sharing freedom Rise from that conviction. It is rooted in the simple, ancient truth that every person has an inherent dignity that cannot be erased by legislatures, pulpits, or political agendas. But it also speaks to something deeper: that our freedoms are tied together. When one group is targeted, the entire community is weakened. When one group is protected, the entire community becomes more resilient.
This is not abstract theology. It’s a living reality. I have seen gay and transgender youth come into congregations unsure of whether they will be welcomed or hurt. I have seen parents tremble and fear for the safety of their children. I have listened to stories from elders who survived the earlier waves of hate and now history is about to repeat itself. And I’ve seen the courage of a community that won’t let that happen.
That courage is sacred values, sharing freedom call. It calls on faith leaders to reclaim the moral center of our tradition, a liberating center that asserts that all human beings are loved, rather than distorted versions used to justify exclusion. It calls on congregations to move beyond expressions of welcome to practices of protection, advocacy, and solidarity. And it is a call to the broader public to recognize that the fight for LGBTIQ+ dignity is inseparable from the fight for a healthy democracy.
Some may say that faith leaders should stay out of public life. But history tells a different story. Faith communities have always shaped this nation’s moral imagination. The question is not whether religion influences people’s lives, but rather how. Should you narrow your circle of affiliation or expand it? Do we celebrate fear or the courage that comes with marginalized people?
people who support me sacred values, sharing freedom I choose courage. We choose to stand with those who are being legislated, debated, and threatened. We have decided to say clearly and confidently that LGBTIQ+ people are not a problem to be solved, but neighbors to be cherished. We are choosing to act.
And that is the core of this moment: action. It’s not a performative alliance. Not sympathetic at all. The act of protecting, enhancing, and transforming.
If you are a person of faith, a community leader, or simply a believer in human dignity, the invitation is clear. Please read the statement. share. Please sign. Let us move you from belief to courage, from belief to manifestation.
Because the value and dignity we share cannot be set aside by human judgment, and the freedom we share is no dream. It’s a responsibility. And that is what we stand for together.
pastor Mike Schuenemeyer is Lavender Interface Collective Co-pastor of Northwest Community Church, United Church of Christ in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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