NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A relatively new nonprofit founded in part by Catholic parents of LGBTQIA+ adult children made its debut at Nashville's Pride Festival this weekend, offering a message of faith and acceptance.
Always God's Children, founded in 2022, participated in the festival for the first time, engaging attendees and sharing their mission of creating a safe religious space for Catholic LGBTQIA+ folks and their loved ones.
Co-Founder Greg Walton is a Spring Hill father of five.
He's no stranger to faith and religion.
"A devout Catholic family. You know, I actually compose music for a Catholic music publisher and toured as a Christian contemporary musician. That's what brought me down to Nashville," said Walton, a Co-Founder and Facilitator for Always God's Children.
For Walton, providing a safe space for LGBTQIA+ folks to express their faith is a cause that hits close to home.
"We had three children who have come out to us over the years as trans and so that put us in proximity to, I think, the lived experience of the LGBTQ community," Walton said.
All five of his children are now adults.
Walton helps lead Always God's Children, which aims to create a bridge between faith communities and LGBTQIA+ individuals who may feel alienated from religion.
"We're a work of the Nashville area Catholic LGBTQ community and those that love them. We create an emotionally safe space to pray and just be real," Walton said.
Co-Founder Tina Whitley, also a Catholic parent of LGBTQIA+ adult children, was moved by the festival experience.
"There's so many people here, and there's so many people who I know love my kids, and I don't always see that," Whitley said.
As a lifelong Nashville resident, Whitley has spent much of her life attending the same Catholic church.
"I just want to be able to have them be accepted in the same church where we have been a family for many years," Whitley said.
At their booth amid the festival's sea of rainbows, Walton used games like Plinko to connect with attendees and share their mission.
Always God's Children was one of many religious organizations participating in Nashville's Pride Festival this weekend.
Some of the other organizations included leaders from several United Methodist Churches.
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