Photos provided by Carol Olewine and Santee UMC
Written by Dr. Alyssa Fisher, Cal-Pac Director of Communications
At Santee UMC, sacred belonging is a call to action, and most recently, that action has been ministering to the local LGBTQIA+ community. In 2020, the church began organizing the annual Santee’s Pride Walk, which has paved the way for several new ministry opportunities. Rev. Jaime Pangman says he believes the church is providing an important space for folks in all walks of life to find a place to explore their faith. This year, the church has received seven new members and performed three baptisms.
This year’s Pride Walk, scheduled for May 30, will be followed by a Pride Festival held in the church’s parking lot, featuring live music, DJs, booths from local vendors and community organizations, and activities for the whole family. The walk begins at 9 am and the festival will start at 10 am. https://www.santeeumc.org/pride
The event has led to a reputation in the town for being radically welcoming in the face of a community that can be exclusionary. In response, Santee UMC’s ministries continue to open their arms.
Their new Brunch Church, held on Sundays at 12:30 pm, started during Lent and includes an afternoon meal and casual opportunity to discuss scripture. Rev. Pangman hopes they will expand this ministry to be a place to discuss creative ways to engage faith, including movies, music, and more.
In January of this year, the church held a renaming and recognition of baptism service for several members. The liturgy was adapted from the Service of Renaming resource from Reconciling Ministries and draws from Biblical examples such as Simon who was renamed Peter to affirm congregants that “renaming is an affirmation of God’s continued presence in our lives.”
This spring, the congregation completed a rainbow mural on the side of the building that reminds everyone who passes by that “You are a child of God and a person of worth.”
The church’s work is an important pillar of the Santee community, and they recently found out they will be honored with the Light of Pride award this year, presented at the San Diego Pride Light Up the Cathedral event in July.
The church’s conviction to minister to their LGBTQIA+ neighbors came from a desire to call all of God’s children into community with them, so that all may know God’s love. As Santee’s ministries continue, their new mural is a physical and spiritual representation of their care for the community. A call to belonging that starts at the church and spreads for all to see.
