The church in the Oak Lawn neighborhood says it’s painting its steps in rainbow colors in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s order targeting rainbow crosswalks.
DALLAS — Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas says it’s painting the steps of the church in rainbow colors following Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s order targeting rainbow crosswalks.
The church, located at the corner of Oak Lawn Avenue and Cedar Springs Road, says the action is “not one of defiance, but of faith.”
The painting of the church steps comes after Abbott issued an order earlier this month to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) that instructs state and local agencies to remove any “decorative crosswalks or markings conveying artwork or other messages” that are not part of standard traffic control.
Per the order, first reported by our sister station KVUE, cities have 30 days to comply or risk losing state and federal funding for future transportation projects.
Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert has said the city attorney is reviewing the directive, which has gotten pushback from Dallas officials and LGBTQ advocates. This past weekend, some Dallas officials and residents gathered in the Oak Lawn neighborhood to protest the potential removal of the rainbow crosswalks there.
Oak Lawn United Methodist Church senior pastor Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison said painting the church’s steps rainbow “is a visible witness to the gospel we preach: that every person is created in the image of God.”
“It’s important because silence is not neutral — silence in the face of harm always sides with the oppressor. At Oak Lawn UMC, we believe love belongs in public. 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,” Griffin-Allison said in a statement. “When forces of power try to erase symbols of queer joy and inclusion, the Church has a choice — to retreat into comfort or to step forward in courage. We’re choosing courage. This is not a political act; it’s a pastoral one. It’s an expression of our faith in a God whose covenant love is wider than fear and whose grace refuses to be painted over. The rainbow is a reminder that God keeps showing up — especially for those the world tries to silence. We’re painting our steps because we want every person who approaches our doors or passes through the neighborhood to know: there’s a place for you here, and the love of God meets you exactly as you are.”