The Pasadena congregation of All Saints Episcopal Church came together on May 7 in a show of defiant love and togetherness to reject homophobic threats against their church and their pastor and to declare their support for the parish’s LGBTQ-affirming services. According to the article that was shared in Pasadena Now, interfaith cooperation and a stirring speech that resulted in dancing in the church aisles cheered the congregation in the face of threats to bomb the sanctuary and harm the pastor.

All Saints Church in Pasadena Responds to Bomb and Death Threats with Solidarity and Security Measures

The Sunday services were conducted by the Rev. Mike Kinman, who has been All Saints’ rector since 2016. There was increased security and a strong police presence. In his homily, he chose to use the song’s line “Bring me a higher love” as a point of reference to exhort his audience to choose love over hate. The pop song was performed by Kygo and Whitney Houston, and the congregation danced to it, providing an appropriate setting for Kinman’s inspiring speech.

According to the article in Episcopal News Service, in his sermon, Kinman addressed the individuals behind the death threats, acknowledging their likely pain and anger but emphasizing that turning such emotions into hate would not bring them peace. He advocated for a higher love, as offered by Jesus that people can hate them, but they will not hate them.

Bishop John Harvey Taylor joined the congregation for the 7:30 and 10 a.m. services and participated in an interfaith rally on the parish lawn. This rally was organized by CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) and supported by the Los Angeles Council of Religious Leaders.

Bishop John Taylor of the Los Angeles Diocese spoke in support of the All Saints community, advocating for inclusion across all barriers of identity, orientation, race, and national origin. He referred to this unity as the heart of Christ and confidently declared that darkness would never triumph over light. He ended his statement with a prayer for the protection of the people of All Saints Church by all the angels.

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Interfaith Rally at All Saints Episcopal Church Showcases Unity and Solidarity

According to the shared article in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, Rabbi Neil Commess-Daniels, a founding member of CLUE, performed a song to kick off the gathering. Participants came from a variety of religious backgrounds, including those from Pasadena’s Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church and the Immaculate Heart Community. Also present was actor Mike Farrell, a steadfast supporter of All Saints Church and CLUE.

Before invoking, Rev. Canon Susan Russell, an assistant priest at All Saints and the diocesan canon for engagement across diversity, addressed the crowd. She emphasized that their unity results from the shared ideals that brought them together and referred to the heterogeneous group as the epitome of a valued community.

Russell reminisced on the group’s history of solidarity, recalling their support for LGBTQ people, refugees, women’s reproductive rights, gun control, and Muslim coworkers. She emphasized that their presence on the church’s property was just another sign of their shared dedication to social justice and respect for one another.

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