Tony Biehl|June 23, 2026|Reports
Earlier this month, the Glendale City Church in Glendale, California, was invited to join GlendaleOUT’s Pride in the Park event—a bring your own lunch picnic in Adam’s Square Mini Park a couple of miles from the church. To honor our LGBTQ+ siblings, about a dozen of us trundled down to the park after church. I like to attend Pride events, so I looked forward to this one. Parking, however, was impossible. I wandered in the parking wilderness for a while, despairing at the sight of what seemed like endless cars and no spaces until a spot finally appeared—Yay!
I clumped two blocks down the street and over a crosswalk with earth tone patterns artistically adorning it—nice. The Mini Park was indeed mini, though well maintained—its central a retired 50s gas station building which served as the main attraction, decorated with Pride banners. There was a crowd, of course, but not overwhelming, and I easily found our group sitting on blankets under a small tree. Since my aging body does not like blankets on the ground—let alone getting on them—I unfolded my special cane into a seat and sat. I munched on my lunch along with everyone else (their own lunches, not mine). Our pastor offered me some chips the church had brought and his wife loaned me a little cloth stand for my soda. They also brought pie for dessert!
Glendale City Church announced the Pride in the Park event on social media. Glendale City has long been an affirming congregation and was home to Adventism’s longest-serving, out pastor. @glendalecitychurch/Facebook
