If things have seemed quieter than usual around The Rainbow Well lately, it is because my Dad recently became suddenly ill and passed away. Much of my attention and energy has understandably been elsewhere these past months, though today we were finally able to add several new resources to the book section. As always, we welcome recommendations from the community for future additions.

But more than giving an update about the site, I want to tell you something about my Dad. By trade, he was a high school teacher. But his deepest calling was preaching and teaching Scripture. He loved Jesus deeply and spent decades serving with the Gideons, eventually becoming a regional leader overseeing work across multiple provinces and territories. Over the years, he preached in countless churches and devoted much of his life to helping people encounter the love of God through Scripture.

And yet, when his own church required him to sign a document rejecting 2SLGBTQIA+ affirmation, he refused. It was the same document I had refused to sign also. Because of that decision, he was no longer permitted to preach in his own church.

That loss stayed with him for years. This was not some abstract disagreement for him. The church was part of his life, his community, and his calling. But despite the pain it caused him, he never once considered compromising his convictions. He remained fully affirming because he believed that affirming 2SLGBTQIA+ people was inseparable from following Jesus faithfully and loving people well.

At his funeral, I stood behind the very pulpit both of us had once been barred from. In that space, I spoke about the kind of love my Dad believed in and the kind of faith he lived out. Here is what I shared:

I know many people carry deep wounds from the Church, especially when affirmation comes with rejection, exclusion, or loss. My Dad’s story does not erase any of that. But I do hope it offers a reminder that there are people whose love and convictions remain intact even when institutions fail them.

Thank you for being part of The Rainbow Well, and thank you for allowing me to share a little of my Dad with you here. -Jamie Arpin-Ricci