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On Friday, January 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Playhouse Square Plaza (1340 Euclid Ave), directly across from The City Club of Cleveland, a growing coalition of LGBTQ+ affirming congregations in Greater Cleveland will host Love at the Plaza, a joyful public gathering centering queer Christian stories, theology, and belonging.
Find the promotional rider here.
Love at the Plaza is a counter-event to the upcoming City Club forum “Faith, Policy, and Influence: A Conversation with the President of the Center for Christian Virtue.” The Center for Christian Virtue has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group for its anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. In contrast, the purpose of Love at the Plaza is to bear joyful, hopeful witness: to proclaim that queer people are fully loved by God, fully included in the Christian faith, and fully deserving of dignity and celebration.
“As we mark Dr. King’s legacy, we must unite in love across boundaries as he did,” said Rev. Charles Graves, rector of Christ Episcopal church. “We cannot in good conscience allow discrimination in the name of Christianity to be amplified without opposition.” The Ecumenical Queer Union for Action and Love (EQUAL) will offer music, personal testimony, speakers on affirming theology, free hot cider and soup, community connection, and an invitation to ongoing action. Participants will also be welcome to receive communion, and clergy and counselors will be present for conversation and trauma-informed pastoral care.
Love at the Plaza will feature three main elements:
- Personal Stories: LGBTQ+ individuals and allies will share testimonies about the intersection of queerness, faith, and identity, rooted in hope,
- Affirming Theology: Local Christian leaders will speak to scripture, faith, and
Christian practice that affirms and celebrates queer lives, - Connection: Following the public conversation, participants will be invited to stay for lunch and continued conversation
“Many people have heard loud Christian voices declare exclusion, but we represent the voices of Christians who are enthusiastically affirming,” said Linnea Koops, a founding member of EQUAL from United Protestant Campus Ministries at Case Western Reserve University. “We are gathering to say clearly: you do not have to choose between your faith and your queerness. You can be fully queer and fully Christian!”
EQUAL hopes the gathering will create a space of healing, visibility, communal joy, and solidarity among local LGBTQ+ organizations, and communities of faith.
EVENT DETAILS
What: LOVE AT THE PLAZA: A Public Celebration of Queer Faith
When: Friday, January 16, 2026 • 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where: Playhouse Square Plaza • 1340 Euclid Ave (across the street from The City Club)
Who: LGBTQ+ community members and organizations, allies, people of all faiths and no faith, local congregations, civic partners, and those who are curious about LGBTQ+affirming Christian faith communities
Cost: Free and open to the public
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Public conversation with LGBTQ+ speakers and faith leaders
- Live music
- Free hot beverages, snacks, and soup
- Communion (all welcome, no obligation)
- Pastoral and emotional support available
- Media availability and interviews upon request
