Amid the criticism that followed the passage of Mississippi’s anti-LGBT bill, the effort on the part of Vicksburg’s four Episcopal churches to welcome the Most Rev. Michael Curry to the city stands like a beacon showing the nation that despite efforts of a few, Mississippi is not the bigoted state people believe it is.

Curry, the first African-American presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the U.S., is visiting Vicksburg today to preach an 11 a.m. worship and Holy Eucharist service at the Vicksburg Convention Center. His host is St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, which was established in 1863 and the first Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Mississippi created to serve African-Americans, but St. Mary’s isn’t alone in welcoming Curry to the Red Carpet City. The city’s other three Episcopal churches — Church of the Holy Trinity, Christ Episcopal Church and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church — are all helping their sister church for the occasion — something that’s not lost on St. Mary’s parishioners.

Linda Tolliver said it’s a blessing to see everyone coming together to work for this common goal.

“I am so proud that the other three churches have joined with us in one communion, one faith, one mission, which makes this even more beautiful and more special,” she said.

For years, Mississippi and the south have been the target of ridicule and criticism based old stereotypes and the ignorance of those who have never traveled to our region or took the time to actually visit our state or its neighbors to the east, west and north. We who have lived here, either in Mississippi or elsewhere in the south, know the stereotypes and cliches are no longer true, and we’ve fought to change the perception of our area.

Our efforts took a big hit earlier this year when the Legislature passed House Bill 1523, known as the anti-LGBT bill, and Gov. Phil Bryant signed it into law, reviving the criticism we’ve tried to put down.

Then we received the opportunity to again be a part of history with the selection and visit of Bishop Curry.

As St. Mary parishioner Elva Smith-Tolliver said, “I never thought in these 60 years I would live to see a black presiding Bishop of the U.S. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to witness and hear such a man of such reverence and Holy Spirit.”

Bishop Curry’s visit coupled by the response and partnership by the city’s four Episcopal churches is a message to the rest of the country that we are not the backward, bigoted people many think we are, and we hope the rest of the country — and the world takes notice.

All four churches deserve to be commended for their efforts toward making Bishop Curry feel at home.

And hopefully teach some politicians in this state that Christianity means loving all and not isolating what we don’t understand or don’t like.