FARGO — Politicking from the pulpit is something that pastor Grace Morton feels called to do.
As the leader of People’s United Church of Christ in Fargo, Morton focuses on ways to make everyone feel welcome at the church through continuous outreach in the form of activism.
In the past, her church attended an abortion rights protest and a demonstration to show support for new Americans.
Lately, the church has held all-ages drag shows as a way to embrace the LGBTQ community.
During this legislative session, Morton has been lobbying the North Dakota Legislature to fight against proposed bills that she says unfairly target LGBTQ people.
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Morton has submitted testimony against the bills, including one that would ban drag performances in the presence of people under 18 or on public property.
“This (bill) will negatively affect our outreach to our community. Persons in the drag community are often a part of the LGBTQ community,” Morton wrote in opposition to House Bill 1333, which the House passed and the Senate is now considering. “People’s UCC has a particular call to be in ministry with that community and to make the church a welcoming and affirming place for all people who seek a relationship with God.”
For the past two years, People’s UCC held its annual all-ages Gospel Drag Festival in Fargo. This year, however, was different.
People’s UCC, which considers itself a Fargo-based congregation, used their rented space in a Moorhead, Minnesota, church for the show last month, in part because they did “not feel safe in having this joyous Christian celebration in the state of North Dakota where the majority of our parishioners live,” Morton wrote as part of her opposition to House Bill 1333.
“For our church, that outreach is very important. When you talk about protecting someone's religious freedoms, well that is an attack on our religious freedom,” Morton told The Forum.
Morton emcees the all-ages shows in her drag persona, the Rev. Dolly Parson.
One of the event's performers, Carson Jennings, is a former minister. Jennings goes by the drag name SHEa Hazard.
“It's not all the time that people know there is some overlap between religions and the LGBTQ community,” Jennings said. “I think there is a lot of love that can be given between both communities.”
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In light of the pending legislation, Jennings thinks all-ages drag shows are important to help show people what drag really is. The shows spread joy to children and promote positive self-acceptance, Jennings said.
“I’m just out here to make people smile and laugh,” Jennings said. “If that’s a crime, then I don’t know what … is happening.”
The number of event attendees has grown each year, Morton said. More than 40 people turned up for their last event.
“By and large it's been very, very positive,” Morton said.
'A real sign'
According to Morton, People’s United Church of Christ was founded with the aim of embracing the LGBTQ community after she was fired from Plymouth Congregational Church in Fargo in 2017.
Morton had been striving to make Plymouth more welcoming to LGBTQ individuals and this work wasn’t well received by everyone, she said.
Plymouth's church council told The Forum that Morton was let go for budgetary reasons.
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"Plymouth Congregational UCC Church has always been and will continue to be an All-Welcoming Church," the council wrote in an email.
When Morton left Plymouth, eight others joined her.
This small group, now churchless, found themselves in a bind. They had nowhere to worship just days before Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter that marks the Holy Spirit's descent on Jesus' disciples after his Ascension.
People’s UCC was founded the night Morton left Plymouth. They held their first service on Pentecost.
“I’ve always felt like that was a real sign,” Morton said.
Tom Thoreson, 72, said he left Plymouth with Morton back in 2017. He had been the moderator of the church council and has recently stepped into that role again at People’s UCC.
He helped start People’s UCC with Morton because of his deep respect for her as a pastor. Thoreson is now one of the church's 12 members.
“When they voted to fire her … I got up and walked out with her,” Thoreson said. “I’ve worked with a lot of pastors over the years … and I’ve loved every one of them, but pastor Grace … doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. I trust her, and there have been a few times that I have needed a shoulder to cry on, so to speak, and she’s been right there. She listens and she cares.”
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Three years ago the idea of hosting a church drag show was just too much for him, however, and Thoreson left People's UCC as a result.
“I said I would not be part of a church that would have such a thing,” Thoreson said.
He ended up in the hospital soon after, and started to miss his church family. He reflected on what the church was trying to achieve with the drag show and asked Morton to come visit him in the hospital.
“She and I had a real good talk and I got a better understanding … of what she was doing,” Thoreson said. “I've seen it now. I’ve seen what she is doing with the drag fest, and it's valuable. It's really a valuable thing to have.”
The drag shows help show people that, no matter who they are, they are welcome, Thoreson said, and now People’s UCC is exactly what it set out to be — open to everyone.
“I think it was just meant to be," he said. "Starting People’s was one of the best things we ever did.”
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