CHESTERLAND, Ohio — Several members of churches in Geauga County spoke out against the first LGBTQ Pride event to happen in the county.

The event is Saturday, June 18, in Chardon Square.

Authors of the letter, sent to Chardon Mayor Christopher Grau and Chardon City Council, said the Pride event is, “not healthy for families,” expressing concern specifically with a drag show set to take place.

“Our children and grandchildren should not be in danger of being exposed to lewd behavior and sexuality in a setting as public as the town square,” the letter said.

The stance by the letter writers was not surprising to some.

“My first reaction was, ‘I’m not surprised,’” said Meg Carver, co-chair of the social justice committee at the Community Church of Chesterland, which is co-organizing the event. “There’s nothing wrong to love one another. We really want to break the idea that the LGBTQ community are sinners.”

Authors of the letter also spoke out against the Community Church of Chesterland. 

“We also wish to clearly state the church in Chesterland sponsoring this event does not represent Christ or the Christian community in Geauga County. The church openly endorses sexually immoral conduct and causes in direct violation of God's word,” authors of the letter wrote. "This event is morally detrimental and harmful to our community."

Mary Briggs, another organizer of the Pride event, spoke out against the authors of the letter and said the two communities, the LGBTQ community and Christianity are not exclusive of each other.

“I’m a member of this community and I’m a Christian. I believe in the United States Constitution, but they aren’t really interested in the realities of the LGBTQ,” said Briggs.

Douglas Browning, pastor of Fowlers Mill Christian Church in Chardon, said he and others who signed the letter would like to not see the LGBTQ Pride event in Geauga County take place.

“Chardon is a small, family-type community and we don’t like the idea of the way drag folks dress. We’re concerned about modesty,” Browning said.

He also said he will be at the Pride event Saturday but not to protest.

“We don’t play the hate-protest game,” he said. “I’m going to be up there and hopefully compassionately, lovingly sharing the Gospel with folks.”

Chardon Mayor Christopher Grau explained the city’s allowance of groups to use public space if proper protocol is followed.

“The City of Chardon’s Square is a public space that is open to all regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation or any other social or personal beliefs,” he said in a statement. “Groups may gather and openly practice their first amendment rights and are protected by our Constitution. Whenever a planned gathering of any kind comes to the City Square, city staff works with organizers to ensure the event runs smoothly and safely.

“We continue to follow this process with every event. Permits to gather on the square are not required unless items or services are being sold by the organizers or their representatives. No illegal activities will be allowed. To be clear, we cannot regulate use of the City Square based on the message or content of the people who want to use the public space.”

Though the event still will take place, the opposition is disappointing; the organizers said. 

“It’s unfortunate because there’s a lot of other problems that really could use the energy that is being put into being so against this drag show,” Carver said. 

She also said the letter had another effect. 

“As a result of that, even more people have come out to show their support,” she said. 

Carver said they hired extra security for the Pride event and authorities have been monitoring the situation. 

This is not the first time the Community Church of Chesterland has faced adversity for its views.

“We started to hang a Pride flag [outside the church] for Pride Month back in 2016,” said Carver. “[The pride flag has] actually been stolen more than 50 times. We’d put it up and then within 12 hours, someone would take it.”

The Pride event in Geauga County is June 18 from 2 to 7 p.m. in Chardon Square.