Submitted by Brad Inglis
Everyone matters! This is not meant to minimize the initiatives of Black Lives Matter, or Pride Celebrations or visitors to our community or property owners here on the peninsula – it just means that we are all important and realistically speaking we all have an agenda and priorities. Part of the reason at Tobermory United that we call our upcoming service on June 28th a Pride and Diversity service is because it coincides with Canada Day and happens during Pride month. We believe that it is important that we celebrate the diversity of all people in this nation.
This is especially crucial to remember in this time of high emotions. We are a country of immigrants. Unless you are First Nations, we have all come from somewhere else. For many aspects, that is what makes this a beautiful country. Not without challenges and heart ache and broken promises, lost opportunities – but with a resiliency and joy and determination. We can’t let our fears and judgements overshadow the goodness of so many.
At Tobermory United we celebrate Pride Month because unconditional acceptance and love are vital parts of our community. The LGBTQ+ community, which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and “plus,” which represents other sexual identities including two spirited, pansexual, asexual and omnisexual, in fact touch all of our lives, be it through friends, neighbours, family – children, grandchildren and happens to be identified as a group who have been marginalized in the past. Marginalized because of hate, fear and discrimination, for being different. We celebrate Pride Month to send the message that Love is Love and all of us are worthy.
Many have asked when churches will be opening now that the Province of Ontario has said that it is ok to gather. Please see the separate article (see page 6) regarding what churches are doing, but from the perspective of the three United Churches here on the Peninsula – Lion’s Head, Pike Bay and Tobermory, we believe safety comes first. A committee has been put together to not only recommend an opening date, but to start the real work of deciding and implementing what needs to be done to ensure we are ready to welcome folks back to church in a safe manner.
Our projected date for re-opening will be Sunday September 13th, conditional upon Provincial and Health Unit directions. Church attendees and user groups will all need to be educated on the procedures for opening, adhering to physical distancing and sanitizing the space so that no one gets sick. It’s trickier than you think and there are many considerations that have to be made.
In the meantime, we will continue our online services that you can find on our Youtube page From the desk of the lazy theologian or on the church website http://www.tobermoryunited.ca . If you want to borrow a hymn book from the church, let me know and you can pick one up and sing along when watching the service. I’m happy to meet with folks one-on-one and small groups of 10 or less will be organized to slowly get us more comfortable with interacting with people in new and safe ways.
Someone said, that the church doors may be closed, but church is alive and well in and around the community, celebrating our call to love one another and walking the path of justice, peace and compassion.
Brad Inglis is the minister at Tobermory United Church. He can be reached at binglis2@me.com
www.tobermoryunited.ca
519-596-2821 (Home)
