Gay Pride Flags Repeatedly Stolen from Orinda Community Church

    Orinda Community Church members committed to flying a Pride flag on their property as a sign of their welcome to and affirmation of LGBTQ+ people. Over the past year and a half, however, the flag has been stolen six times.
    The church has received hate mail regarding the flag and also in response to a banner depicting a Black Jesus, which states “Black lives are beloved.”
    Pastor Elizabeth Robinson said, “It appears some community members object to the progressive beliefs of this congregation.”
    “Thanks to generous members, the church has a ready stockpile of Pride flags to replace any that are stolen,” she added. “We’ve also asked the fire department across the street on Orinda Way to remain alert to vandals.”
    Installing security cameras is next on their list of theft prevention precautions.
    The United Church of Christ, of which Orinda Community Church is a member, was the first mainline Protestant church to ordain an openly gay person. Rev. Dr. William Johnson was ordained to a church in San Carlos, CA in 1972.
    Orinda Community Church voted to become Open and Affirming (ONA) in 2002. This is the United Church of Christ’s (UCC) designation for congregations and other bodies in the UCC, which make a public covenant of welcome into their full life and ministry to persons of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
    “Orinda Community Church was the first Open and Affirming congregation in the Lamorinda area to formally welcome LGBTQ+ people and has had gay and lesbian clergy on our staff,” said Robinson.
    She believes people are stealing the flag because they feel being LGBTQ+ is not compatible with Christianity – that it is sinful.
    “Letters to the church have expressed this sentiment,” she said.
    Robinson added, “We believe, however, that God is loving and inclusive and that beliefs and awareness can change and grow toward loving inclusion of all people.”
    Senior Pastor of Orinda Community Church for four years, Robinson studied literature and psychology at Bard College in New York and earned her MFA in creative writing at Brown University. She earned her Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in bioethics at the Pacific School of Religion.
    During her vocational journey, she’s worked with autistic people, been a part of an intentional community in Los Angeles devoted to racial reconciliation and has taught at several universities.
    In regard to the stolen flags, she quotes a scripture found in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
    Robinson said their church members, who are continually donating new Pride flags, want to offer a profound welcome to any spiritual seekers who wish to join their church.
    “Church should not be a place where people feel isolated or fearful of revealing their whole selves,” she said.
    Though Robinson said it’s discouraging that the congregation has repeatedly seen its Pride flags stolen, “we will not be deterred and will simply replace the flag each time it is taken down.”
    “In an era of book-banning and ‘Don’t Say Gay’ laws, it is singularly important for people of faith to unite in empathy,” she said. “And to work together for justice, continually seeking signs of God’s presence in a changing world.”
    Forgiveness for those stealing the flags, Robinson said, is not at the core of the issue. The church feels sadness rather than anger.
    “The motto of the United Church of Christ is ‘God is still speaking.’ So religious beliefs should not be static, but dynamic. With that in mind, it’s not a matter of forgiveness for thefts of the flags,” said Robinson. “Rather, we want to keep opening the door to conversation and affirmation. God loves all of us no matter what our sexual orientation or gender affiliation or race or ethnicity are.”
    For more information about the church, visit www.orindacommunitychurch.org.

Charleen Earley can be reached at editor@theorindanews.com.