Historic Texas UMC church gets OK to keep LGBT rainbow-color steps painted to defy governor
A historic Dallas church will keep its LGBT rainbow-painted front steps as a temporary art installation after getting approval from city planners.
The Dallas Landmark Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness on Monday, allowing the LGBT-inclusive Oak Lawn United Methodist Church to retain its rainbow-painted front steps for the next three years.
A task force subcommittee had recommended denial, citing Dallas Development Code provisions requiring painting to match existing material colors, according to an agenda from Monday’s meeting.
The church's front steps were painted last October in response to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's directive ordering cities to remove political or activist symbols and artwork from public spaces, such as those on crosswalks and public streets.
Designated a Dallas Landmark in 1984, Oak Lawn UMC was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and recognized with a State Historic Marker in 1974 for its large brick structure, Gothic-influenced architecture and significant art glass windows and brick terra cotta detailing in the contemporary style of affluent 1920s Dallas.
With more than 100 years of worship at its current site, the church’s website identifies Oak Lawn UMC as a “Reconciling congregation” of the United Methodist Church, affirms LGBT-identified people and their families, and is welcoming to all "just as you are. No exceptions, no fine print — just open arms and open hearts." According to its website, Oak Lawn UMC is a “spiritually curious community” that promotes values of love, diversity, and “social justice” through its Sacred Resistance ministry.
Because the church is located within a designated historic district, any exterior alterations, including the painting, require review and approval from the Landmark Commission. City staff recommended approval with conditions, noting the work is temporary, reversible and represents a source of community pride.
“Silence is not neutral,” said Oak Lawn UMC’s Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison in a statement released ahead of Monday’s hearing. “Painting our steps in the colors of the rainbow is a visible witness to the gospel we preach — that every person is created in the image of God and worthy of safety, dignity, and belonging.”
In October, the church defiantly shared an image on social media of the brightly painted steps and specifically criticized Abbott’s executive order: “The governor may remove a rainbow from a roadway — but he cannot erase the image of God in God’s people. We are painting our steps because faith is not silent in the face of harm.”
Led by three LGBT-identified pastors, Oak Lawn UMC says it provides community outreach and support services, including meals for the homeless community, food pantry access and “clothing closet” ministries that provide free clothing, including for individuals who identify as the opposite sex and are “seeking or exchanging" so-called "gender-affirming" clothing.
In 2022, Oak Lawn UMC self-appointed two LGBT-identified pastors after UMC leadership refused to grant their request for appointments. The Rev. Rachel Baughman appointed Isabel Marquez and Ryan Wager, who identify as lesbian and gay, respectively, without the authorization from the North Texas Conference of the UMC.
