A progressive church in San Francisco is hosting a mass that's centered on Beyoncé's music and accomplishments as an African American music artist. The Episcopalian congregation, the Grace Cathedral, has scheduled its special Beyoncé Mass for Wednesday, April 25, and is encouraging its members to attend the hip service.
A Facebook post said The Vine SF would be hosting the Beyoncé Mass for Grace Cathedral and it would feature the singer's favorite songs. It will also be a celebration of her work and music, which the church said had opened a "window into the lives of the marginalized and forgotten—particularly black females."
Rev. Yolanda Norton will deliver the sermon during the service. She serves as the professor of a class called "Beyoncé and the Bible" at the San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS).
The Beyoncé Mass is part of the cathedral's teaching series called "Speaking Truth: The Power of Story in Community" in conjunction with The Vine SF. A previous series touched on Mary Magdalene as the "first Nasty woman," which had Rev. Dr. Ellen Clark-King delivering the sermon.
"If Mary Magdalene were alive today, she'd surely be wearing a pink hat and marching with all who wear that epithet, 'nasty woman,' as a badge of honor," the invitation stated.
Grace Cathedral was built in 1849 and has been a fixture in American culture. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached the Gospels inside the halls of the church following the completion of its renovation in 1965. At least 5,000 people packed the church to listen to King's sermon.
Meanwhile, Beyonce grew up in a Methodist Christian family. She said in a 2008 interview with Metro that she doesn't physically attend church services anymore because of the mob of people approaching her for pictures or autographs during sermons.
In a 2007 interview featured in the Christian publication, The Son, Beyonce said that she's more into spirituality than religion. The Grammy-winning artist shared, "Doing right by others and not judging. The thing that keeps me grounded is knowing that I'm always protected and that God is in control of things."
