(OPINION) Trinity Lutheran Church of Greenville, South Carolina has announced a “Drag Me to Church” event featuring “Lady Douche according to a report from CBN News. While it’s not replacing a regular Sunday service in the sanctuary, the church is still sponsoring this event on-site, scheduled for a Thursday evening in the church gym.
I wonder if they’ll open this gender-bending, drag queen performance with prayer? The Trinity Lutheran Church Facebook page promises, “You’ll be endlessly entertained as the Lady Douche leads us through her unique style of worship which includes as many laughs as it does amens!”
The announcement says the drag show is “about the church, faith, and God’s inclusive love.” Yes, folks, churches need to be inclusive. People from all walks of life – rich, poor, prostitutes, drunkards, and homosexuals – should all be welcomed in. Churches need to be places where the gospel and Jesus Christ can change their lives, not where they change the church to embrace worldly ways.
Instead, dozens of people from over the country have called to condemn them. A local minister plans a prayer vigil outside the Main Street church on the night of the performance, May 12. They shut down commenting on their Facebook page. But Patrick Preacher, who is the queer and justice coordinator at the church, has a simple message for them: “We are all beloved children of God. No one is excluded from our kingdom.”
Preacher has been in the job since January when the leadership of the 1,200-member downtown Greenville church decided they needed a paid staff person to head up a ministry they’ve had for more than five years to reach people who have historically been overlooked, excluded, and marginalized by religious organizations. Preacher works not only with the queer community, but also helps feed the hungry and meet the needs of people who live in the high-rise subsidized housing apartment building next door to the church.
