A Cincinnati man dressed in drag read a book about a hero to the LGBT community during the children’s time at a church service Sunday. The event took place as Auburn Hills Presbyterian Church celebrated LGBT Pride month in June.
Dan Davidson, the church’s building caretaker, dressed as his alter ego “Sparke Leigh.” As worshippers arrived, Davidson greeted them wearing a purple dress, makeup, high heels, and a beard made of glitter.
The church choir opened the worship service by singing “God Welcomes All.” Then, the pastor called the church’s children to the front and Davidson emerged wearing a pink dress and green, curly hair. He read the book Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag. The book tells the story of California’s first openly gay politician and how he “Dreamed that everyone – even gay people – would have equality. He dreamed that one day people would be able to live and love as they pleased.” The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the congregation applauded multiple times during the story.
Davidson reading to children while dressed in drag during a church service is the second reported event of a church sponsoring a drag queen related event in the last month. As Christian Headlines recently reported, a Texas church hosted a Drag Queen Story Hour after the local library canceled the event. According to CBN News, the church’s pastor, Ryan Hart, said the church heard “overwhelming” positive feedback from the community.
Auburn Hills Presbyterian decorated their sanctuary walls with rainbow flags and used rainbow candles on the stage to celebrate Pride month. During the worship service in which Davidson read, a man gave his personal testimony of coming out. Pastor Stacey Midge told The Cincinnati Enquirer that the drag queen story time flowed from the church’s central message– “that God loves everyone.”
Auburn Hills Presbyterian is a member of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Scott Slayton writes at “One Degree to Another.”
Photo courtesy: Ashly Araya/Unsplash, this is a stock photo.
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