Known By Name Collective

10/28/2026

This time of year, we come together to remember those we lost. In traditional churches, we honor those we lost in the year between last All Saints Day and this one. However, grief does not have a timeline, nor is it the same in 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces.

Known By Name Collective invites you to bring a momento- a photo, a piece of clothing, a card someone wrote you of theirs from whenever your spirit needs it to be from, to light a candle for that person. This relationship might have been complicated, created hurt, or perhaps it was a good relationship. No matter the emotions behind it, this night serves as a remembrance of those people.

We will have a table set up with tea lights and you can place a momento of that person on the table. It doesn't need to be fresh, it can be a person you lost years ago. Consider this a moment of stepping into healing, into closure, and into a space where you have support. Grief is not linear, and the way in which we grieve isn't either. If you do not have a personal momento, we invite you to write the name of the person on the candle. Pastor Sommer will read the names during the service.

You don't have to be alone in your grief. We are here for you.

We hope to see you on Sunday.

10/25/2026

Ready for some fun!!

10/25/2026

Reminder- Our gathering is in about an hour and we will be gathering until we need to start clean up around 4:30. Spooky fun paintings, come in a costume and you could win a prize, snacks and music!

10/19/2026

What a blessing it was to do glitter blessings and reaffirmations of baptisms to celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ joy tonight at Known By Name Collective!

10/16/2026

This Sunday, we will be having our Service of Celebration.

What is this going to look like?

A welcome.

A time to share coming out stories as a community with supports ready to celebrate you.

A few readings- No scriptures, just uplifting readings about being your authentic self, living into your new journey, and being community.

Glitter blessings- for those who are not Christian or religious in a traditional sense- we will be offering a blessing for your journey with GLITTER. (Cosmetic, don't worry :) ) Because you cannot come out without a little flair, right?

For those who are Christian, in a separate room, we will be offering a time for you to reaffirm your baptism with your chosen name if it has changed since your initial baptism. In the Lutheran tradition, we do not do multiple baptisms, so we reaffirm them during Sunday worship, at confirmations, etc. This essentially is YOU getting autonomy to say "This is what I still believe" while being able to say it with your chosen name, not your deadname.

Then after a community blessing and sending into the world with courage and bravery as your authentic self, we will have a time of community hospitality to celebrate this moment in your journey! And yes, there will be CAKE.

Even if you are not ready yet to vocally come out, to say those words- you still have a seat and a place with us for this service of celebration! Either to support others, or to just be in an environment that is celebrating you for just being you, being there, with those in your community! There is absolutely NO pressure to come out. And if you'd like to "soft launch" your coming out? Feel free to use the anonymous coming out box, to write down where you are in your journey. We will celebrate that too.

We are so looking forward to celebrating with you, gathering into community, and having a little fun together.

Please join us this Sunday, October 18th, at 918. N. Oneida Street from 5:00-7:30

Remember always that you are known, you are beloved, and you get to write your own story.

Join us!

10/09/2026

Known By Name Collective joyfully invites you to our Service of Celebration for National Coming Out Day!

This is not a worship service, this is a service that celebrates your coming out day as a part of your authentic, beautiful journey in life. There are people who came out decades ago who didn't get a celebration, but harm. Those who are coming out this year but may not have anyone supportive to come out to, and there may be people who are just not ready to come out at all. Maybe this day means something special because you did get to come out with support and you want to give that to someone else who needs it.

No matter where you are in your journey, this is a place to celebrate wherever you are on your journey, have support from others, be celebrated even if you came out 20 years ago or haven't yet.

And if you are a Christian and have been wondering "My name changed, am I still baptized?" We remind you that your new name was known before you even knew it because the One who knows you best? (Psalm 139) knew your story all along. So, we will be offering those interested in reaffirming their baptisms with their new names, an opportunity to do so. Everyone should feel known, by their authentic selves. And FEEL that connection with the name they have now.

If you are not a Christian but would like a blessing on this old, present, or future journey you're on? We will have glitter blessings at the ready :) General and non-religious blessings.

After the service, join each other in celebration with snacks and hot cocoa for some community hospitality.

Our space is NOT in a church, it is an old parsonage so you will not see a cross, or any other traumatizing or Christian symbols when you walk in. It's literally a living room with very very comfy couches!

We hope you will come by for celebration and community. See you then!

Rev. Sommer Loar (they/them/theirs)

10/02/2026

09/29/2026

We will be talking about wonderment, worship, institutions and about who owns what. Join us!

09/29/2026

We are gathering tonight on Facebook Live at 6:00 p.m. for some Wonderment.

I have put together a more simple service and one that allows far more interaction online via comments and eventually, when we are able to gather in a space that is less comment-heavy, we will be able to wonder together instead of have me talk at you for 40 minutes. :)

Join me!

Digital Bulletin Here:

Known By Name Collective Online Service for Tuesday, September 8th, 2026 Order of Service Welcome Call to Community Leader: Beloved siblings, you are invited but not required, to arrive into this space just as you are. If your body feels safe, take a deep breath with me. If it doesn’t, ...

09/15/2026

Recorded Message for the week of 9.13.