Rainbows on the Mountain: Celebrating 50 years of LGBTQ Gatherings at Kirkridge
October 1 - 3, 2027
The first gay and lesbian Christian retreat was held at Kirkridge in 1977. This is no small milestone and a legacy worth celebrating every day. Join us to celebrate this history, share stories, dance and sing, walk the mountain, and imagine the work ahead. So many of you have been a part of this history and we want to share gratitude for that. Come, come, come to the mountain.
We will continuing adding details of speakers, performers, and programming, but save the date and reserve your spot for this beautiful weekend of celebration.
Q: Folks have asked, “Is this a Christian gathering?”
This is a great question. One with no simple answer. We are gathering to celebrate that fifty years ago was the first gay and lesbian Christian retreat. Part of what was so incredible about the existence of that event so many years ago, was that it was Christian! Folks found a place at Kirkridge that celebrated both their queer identity and their Christian identity. That was not happening in other places.
And we know that the church has and continues to be a place of harm and trauma and death to queer folks. We do not ignore that or take it lightly. We are committed to looking at that directly and holding space for folks who feel that trauma continue in their bodies.
And we know that in this moment queer folks are doing incredible theological work. At Kirkridge, we are regularly seeing and feeling that move in our bodies. There is a Christianity that queer folks make come alive that is worthy of believing in!
So, is this a Christian event? Yes and. We are sitting in the tension. It is complicated and messy and beautiful. That is the space where we are rooting. We are clear about our history and about what Christianity can be here and now. And we are holding the trauma and extending an invitation and programming that is also wider.
Our hope is that you feel welcome in this space whether you are Christian or not. And we understand that this might not be the right space for everyone. There will be moments of ritual together and everything is always optional. Trust your body. Trust your experience. And we invite you into the beautiful, messy tension.