Local churches join in Aurora Pride celebration

Posted June 13, 2023 11:00 pm

Submitted by Al Benson

Michelle Curiel, center, worship director at Aurora's Wesley United Methodist Church, carries a banner in the Aurora Pride parade June 11. Courtesy of Al Benson

Aurora hosted its fourth annual Pride Parade on Sunday afternoon, June 11.

Kari Traid of Chicago, Aurora Pride parade grand marshal, waves to the crowd. Courtesy of Al Benson

Hundreds of parade-goers watched as 70 units took part in the event in downtown Aurora.

This year's parade stepped off at noon at Benton and Broadway and made its way through downtown Aurora and the end at Downer Place and Middle Avenue.

Congregants of Aurora's New England Congregational Church, including Pastor Brandon Perrine, second from left, march in the Aurora Pride Parade June 11 in downtown Aurora. Courtesy of Al Benson

Before the parade, New England Congregational Church in Aurora hosted a free "Pride Cakes" pancake breakfast and community worship service in partnership with Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora and Universalist Unitarian Society of Geneva.

Wesley volunteers cooked and served the breakfast.

Congregants of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Aurora take part in the fourth annual Aurora Pride parade June 11 in downtown Aurora. Courtesy of Al Benson

After the worship service, congregants from the three churches walked to the parade.

Aurora's first LGBTQ advisory board was established last August.

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