Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Nashville Church Transforms Cinder Block Used To Break Window With Powerful Inclusive Message

Split screen of broken window from inside the church (L) and broken with with cinder block from outside the church (R)
Glendale United Methodist Church - Nashville/Facebook

Sophie Dukes of Glendale United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, painted a cinder block used to break the window of their safe sanctuary with the colors of the LGBTQ+ Pride flag and a Black Power fist in a defiant message to bigots.

At the beginning of 2020 the United Methodist Church announced plans to split over disagreements on LGBTQ+ basic human rights.

Since then, over 1,800 of the 30,000 Methodist Churches in the United States have disaffiliated.


This split within the denomination illustrates just how dividing the opinions over LGBTQ+ equality is for Christians, even within a denomination that touts the slogan “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.”

Recently an inclusive, nondiscriminating United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee was vandalized with a cinder block.

Instead of allowing this to crush them, the church reclaimed the tool of destruction and made it a symbol of strength and inclusivity.

Check out the photos from their Instagram account which they also shared on Facebook.

They captioned the photos of the vandalism:

“To the person(s) who vandalized this safe sanctuary last night: you are loved.”
“And even though hate literally broke through by your action in that moment, we are reminded that God’s love always conquers human hate and the joy and love shared this morning during worship was palpable in this space”
“That is something that no one can take away. #FindYourPeople #GodIsLove #BeUMC #GlendaleUMC”

Then they shared what they chose to do with the cinder block.

They captioned the photos:

“This cinder block: used as a physical, tangible sign of hate thrown through our sanctuary window.”
“Our own Sophie Dukes felt the call to take it home to transform it to reveal the beauty of God’s inclusive + affirming love for ALL people.”
“THIS is our mission at Glendale. Hate, violence + bigotry never have the final word. #FindYourPeople #GodIsLove

People were impressed at the church’s determination to reclaim power over the violence.

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

Glendale United Method/Facebook

What a beautiful way to rise above the hatred.

More from Trending

Screenshot of Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov
10 News First/YouTube

American YouTuber Arrested After Sneaking Onto Remote Island And Leaving Diet Coke For Uncontacted Tribe

24-year-old YouTuber Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov was arrested after making contact with one of the world's last uncontacted tribes, making the perilous and ill-advised journey to North Sentinel Island and leaving a coconut and a can of Diet Coke on the beach as a gift to the Sentinelese.

Polyakov, 24, arrived at the northeastern shore of North Sentinel Island at 10 a.m. on March 29, according to police reports. He used binoculars to survey the land but saw no one. He then climbed ashore, leaving behind a Diet Coke and a coconut, took sand samples, and recorded a video, the authorities said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vivian Wilson; Elon Musk
@vivillainous/Instagram; Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Vivian Wilson Drags Dad Elon Musk For Claiming Protesters Are Being Paid By Democrats

After billionaire Elon Musk erroneously claimed that massive anti-Trump administration protests around the country have been full of "paid protesters," his estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, underscored the extent of his hypocrisy in a post on Threads.

Millions of people participated in protests against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Saturday, with demonstrations held across all 50 states and around the world. The protests, organized by a pro-democracy movement, were a response to what they describe as a "hostile takeover" and an attack on American rights and freedoms.

Keep ReadingShow less
Madonna; Elton John
Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation/GettyImages, Noam Galai/Getty Images for TIME

Madonna Reveals She And Elton John Finally 'Buried The Hatchet' After Decades-Long Feud

Harmony was finally restored when music icons Madonna and Elton John ended their decades-long feud over the weekend.

"We Finally Buried the Hatchet!!!" Madonna enthused on Tuesday's Instagram post.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk; Amy Coney Barrett
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images; Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Musk Slammed For Criticizing 'Suicidal Empathy' Of SCOTUS Justices Who Ruled In Favor Of Due Process

Once again borrowing from the language of the toxic, insecure, red pill/blue pill, alpha male, incel subcultures that gave rise to public figures like Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes, Elon Musk attacked the women of the United States Supreme Court for following the rule of law and the United States Constitution instead of showing fealty to Republican President Donald Trump.

In a 4-5 dissent, only the women of SCOTUS decided the core of our justice system—due process—can stop the kinds of mistakes Trump's Department of Homeland Security is making routinely, like ICE abducting and deporting innocent people with visa or green cards to a hellish prison in El Salvador.

Keep ReadingShow less
Michelle Williams
Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Michelle Williams Puts First Class Passenger On Blast For Gross Bare Feet On Her Flight

Michelle Williams found herself in an all-too-relatable mid-flight nightmare—and she had the receipts to prove it.

The Destiny’s Child singer took to Instagram on Sunday to hilariously call out a fellow passenger who decided to go barefoot and make himself a little too comfortable on their flight from Chicago to New York.

Keep ReadingShow less