By Michael Coughlin Jr.
The First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain, which was the subject of recent anti-LGBTQIA+ vandalism, is moving past the incident with support from the local community.
Overnight between June 7 and June 8, the church was vandalized amid Pride Month. In a statement by the Pastoral Team posted on the church’s Facebook page, they described the spray-painted graffiti on the side of the church’s steeple as “Homophobic, violent and hateful.”
“We’re not naive enough to think that this kind of hatred and meanness doesn’t exist in the world — it does,” said Reverend Ashlee Wiest-Laird, a Pastor at the church.
“We know that this still exists in the world, and even in Massachusetts, even in Jamaica Plain,” added Wiest-Laird.
Notably, the church is affiliated with the Welcoming & Affirming Baptists. The organization supports churches “in being and becoming Welcoming and Affirming of all people regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation,” per its website, which church congregations vote to be a part of.
“We do take a position and say … we’re not just tolerant of gay people or the LGBTQIA+ people, but we celebrate everyone and who God has made them to be,” said Wiest-Laird.
She described how other churches have restrictions that prevent members of the LGBTQIA+ community from taking on leadership roles. “We’re very much like — you are who you are, and you are beloved,” said Wiest-Laird.
Following the vandalism, the church decided to hold a Pride Celebration and Speak Out event that Sunday, June 11, following its previously planned Pride Worship service.
The event, which took place on the church’s lawn, featured speakers and music from a group called The Femmes while allowing everyone to come together as a community.
“It was basically a lovely, joyful, celebratory experience where people could just be together and know that this kind of thing is not going to impede our witness or the values of this community which are to stand together,” said Wiest-Laird.
She also spoke about how much love and support the church has gotten from the community since the vandalism. Specifically, Wiest-Laird mentioned the City, Jamaica Plain, and other faith communities who have been supportive.
For example, the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain posted photos of a note from the Arlington Street Church – Unitarian Universalist and a stack of messages from its congregation on Facebook. They have also received emails in support and even donations since the incident.
Regarding how much this support has meant to the church Wiest-Laird said, “It’s tremendous.”
“I think that’s always encouraging and amazing when people take the time out just to let you know that they’re thinking of you, that they care about you, that they care about what happens in this community — that does matter,” she said.
In the face of hate, it is clear that the First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain and its community are moving forward with a significant amount of love.
“We want to create the kind of communities we want to live in, which are communities of love and support and not the kind of communities where this kind of hate is tolerated or encouraged — obviously — where people can stand together,” said Wiest-Laird. “Even if people don’t agree with us, we want this community to be a place where everybody’s respected.”