06/04/2026
Last Sunday, Arlington Presbyterian Church put up our annual Pride banners and rainbow fabric as a declaration of our witness — as a congregation, we are committed to centering and celebrating the lives, gifts, and leadership of LGBTQIA+ people in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and beyond.
That same afternoon, we received a threatening message as a direct response to our commitment to Pride month. By Monday morning, the fabric we had hung on our railing had been stolen and found stuffed in a trash bin in our garden.
Both the threatening message and the theft of the fabric were serious enough that we elevated this to the Arlington County Police Department. ACPD has been incredibly supportive throughout this process. Officers spoke with the person in question who admitted to both the threat and taking the fabric. We are grateful for ACPD’s partnership and their steady presence with us.
APC's Session met and, through our core values, made the decision to ban this person from our space. This is an official law enforcement action through ACPD. We are also taking extra safety measures going forward, especially for this coming Sunday.
We follow a God of unrelenting love. Jesus promised that by loving each other, even through heartache, we find new life. The Spirit keeps calling us toward the prophetic witness we are here to proclaim.
APC’s LGBTQ+ witness is intact. This Sunday at 10am, we will be outside putting that fabric back on the railing. APC stands in solidarity with every congregation giving witness to Pride month.
In this moment, when so many of our LGBTQIA+ siblings are living with fear, this witness matters more than ever. As the Church, we are holding the line together and that line is under real pressure. What we do, in our sanctuaries, on our railings, in our communities, is a proclamation that LGBTQIA+ people are beloved of God. And that love is undefeatable.
Pictures of past pride rainbow fabric and all of its glory. 🌈
