By: Rev. Dr. Harold Marrero
This past weekend, I found myself holding a deep sense of gratitude for this community, and for the many ways UU Miami continues to show up with courage, heart, and love.
At Miami Beach Pride, our members and friends joined Pridelines and a coalition of 60+ people to ride the float and walk down Ocean Drive. It was beautiful to witness. In the music, the movement, the color, and the joy, something deeper was on display as well. Bearing witness to who we are and what we stand for. We were showing, in public and with gladness, that our faith calls us to stand with one another, to celebrate the full dignity of every person, and to make visible the love that too often gets hidden or denied in this world. And while that witness was unfolding along the parade route, another was unfolding at home.
Back at UU Miami, others stayed behind to lead the service, welcome guests, create a space of warmth and hospitality, and make sure that anyone seeking community could find it. That matters more than we sometimes realize. There are always people walking through our doors carrying hope and hesitation in equal measure. There are new visitors taking a risk simply by showing up, wondering if this place might hold belonging for them. Because of you, they were met with kindness. Because of you, UU Miami remained a place where community was not just spoken about, but practiced. That is what moves me most. We were in two places at once, and both places told the truth about who we are.
We were on Ocean Drive, joyful and visible, proclaiming that love belongs in the streets and that justice must be lived out loud. And we were also in our sanctuary, holding space for reflection, connection, and welcome. One congregation, two expressions of the same spirit. That is not accidental. It is a sign of growth. It is a sign of resilience. It is a sign of deep commitment.
I am especially proud to say that this year’s delegation to Pride was the largest UU Miami has ever brought to the parade with our coalition. I do not say that lightly. I have been helping plan interfaith Pride participation for more than 10 years, and throughout that time, UU Miami has always shown up. Always. That steady presence has meant something to me, and to our wider community too. This year, that witness grew even larger, and I felt proud not only of how many we were, but of who we were together.
What I saw this weekend was a congregation becoming more fully itself. I saw people willing to celebrate. I saw people willing to serve. I saw people willing to welcome. I saw people willing to make room not only for one another but also for those still searching for a place to belong. That is holy work. That is the work of the community. That is the work of love made real.
So thank you. Thank you to everyone who came out to Miami Beach Pride and helped our congregation show up with joy and conviction. Thank you to everyone who stayed behind and made worship possible. Thank you to those who welcomed newcomers, offered hospitality, and helped make UU Miami feel open, warm, and alive. Thank you for being a community that can celebrate publicly and cares deeply, all at once.
I am grateful to you. I am proud to be your minister. And I am hopeful about who we are becoming together.