What a booked day! 10:30 AM was the Stonewall: Cradle of Gay Activism service at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Erie. It was nice. I took some photos, and I ended up sitting next to Jeremy, who is cooking for the Pride Picnic and who was one of the founder of Closet Culture, an area GLBT youth group back in the early/mid 90's. Also sitting with us was Elaine, who had been the president of PFLAG here from 1995 through early 1999. Elaine has retired.
Rev. Steve was a wonderful presenter. At one point, he said something about the church having performed commitment ceremonies for same sex couples going back to 1996 "and earlier." The PDA implant in my brain clicked and recalled that there actually had been such a ceremony 14 years and 4 days before that. (Um, because it was mine :) .)
Someone from the current chapter of PFLAG talked about stuff and thanked the UU for supporting them for "the past 8 years." I think I may have heard a slight snort from Elaine since she had hosted the meetings there since 1995. (It might go back earlier - we were sitting near a woman who had been the president before Elaine. I am not sure if the chapter met at the UU at that point. I am also aware that a woman named Mary ran an chapter called PFOG (Parents and Friends of Gays - earlier name of the same group) in the 1980's, but that was before my time.
Gad, I am old! I also recalled that we had Interfaith Pride Services at the UU about 10 years ago on 2 successive years.
Afterwards, I had finishing up the newsletter, housework and a meeting of the membership committee of the Erie Gay Business Alliance.
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