SALEM — On Sunday, June 28 at 2:30 p.m., faith leaders and community members from across the North Shore will gather at Tabernacle Congregational Church in Salem for an Interfaith Pride Service — a joyful, healing, and spiritually grounded celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.

The service, rooted in the theme “How Good It Is To Be Together,” brings together clergy and congregants from Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, and Unitarian Universalist traditions in a shared act of welcome and affirmation. The event is free and open to all.

In their planning meeting, clergy discussed how, for too many LGBTQ+ people, religious spaces have been sources of pain rather than sanctuary. This service exists to begin rewriting that story — to say clearly and joyfully that every person carries a spark of the divine, and that spark is worthy of celebration.

The service will feature music, prayer, and readings drawn from multiple traditions, and Rev. Andre Bennett of Zion Baptist Church in Lynn will speak. A collection will be taken for NAGLY (North Shore Alliance of GLBTQ+ Youth), an organization that supports LGBTQ+ young people on the North Shore. The Zilber Beatles, an interfaith cover band, will also perform.

A reception will follow the service, with light refreshments provided by the participating congregations. Local authors, Rev Donna Spencer Collins and Jim Moser, will be doing book signings for their new books. The church offers elevator access, and the service will be available via Zoom for those unable to attend in person (contact the Tabernacle Congregational Church for the link). Please note that parking meters are enforced on Sundays in Salem.

The service is supported by a growing coalition of North Shore congregations committed to being open and affirming communities. Congregations wishing to be listed as a participating open and affirming community — even if unable to attend — are encouraged to reach out at [email protected]. Visibility matters: for LGBTQ+ individuals and families seeking a spiritual home, knowing which congregations welcome them can be life-changing.