Member Moment - More Than Acceptance: A Pride Reflection on Belonging -July 19th, 2026

Thanks to the College World Series making a June parade a little too complicated, Omaha gets the unique gift of celebrating Pride well into July. That timing also overlaps with another observance that sometimes receives less attention: Disability Pride Month.

As I was preparing these remarks, I asked Pastor Sarah if she thought it would be okay for me to focus on the intersection of Disability Pride and LGBTQ+ Pride. I don't want to take anything away from the importance of celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride. Instead, I want to shine a light on the places where these communities overlap. For many people, disability and LGBTQ+ identity are not separate experiences. In fact, disabled people are nearly twice as likely to identify as LGBTQ+ as non-disabled people.

These communities know what it means to have others make assumptions about their lives, their bodies, and their worth. They know what it's like to be told to hide parts of themselves to make other people comfortable. And they know the power of finally being seen and accepted exactly as they are.

Their movements have fought many of the same battles. They have challenged the idea that there is only one "normal" way to live, love, communicate, move, or experience the world. They have insisted that difference is not something to fix, but something worthy of dignity and respect.

As people of faith, I believe we're called to something even deeper than acceptance. Acceptance says, "You can come." Belonging says, "We're better because you're here." Our calling is to make sure that someone who lives at any of these intersections can walk through our doors knowing they won't have to leave any part of themselves outside.

The work of Disability Pride and LGBTQ+ Pride reminds us that inclusion isn't charity, and accessibility isn't a special accommodation. They are the bare minimum of how we recognize the inherent worth of every person.

Our faith tells us that every person is made in the image of God. That image is reflected in bodies that move differently, minds that think differently, and identities that don't fit narrow expectations. Diversity isn't an obstacle to God's love; it's one of the clearest expressions of it.

So as we celebrate Pride, may we remember those who live at the intersection of disability and LGBTQ+ identity. May we continue building a church where no one has to choose which part of themselves is welcome. Because if every person bears the image of God, then every barrier we remove, every door we open, and every person who finds they truly belong brings us one step closer to the kind of community I believe God intends for us to be.