Pride Prayer Service

Tonight (June 23, 2021), my church had its (hopefully) first Pride Prayer Service. I spoke (call it a sermon, a message, or whatever) briefly. Below is what I said.

You can listen to the sermon here. The audio is a little different from the written because I always make minor edits along the way as I read it out loud.

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Welcome and well come to Christ the Servant for our 2021 Pride Prayer service. When I was first thinking about what I wanted to say tonight, I was going to talk about Pride and its importance. However, about a week and a half ago, I heard a line in a tv show that gave me something to really think about and I wanted to offer some thoughts. The show is Love, Victor and the line is, “I’m not giving up on God. I’m giving up on you.”

Before I talk about the line, here is a little background. Love, Victor is a tv show set in the same high school as 2018’s Love, Simon. In the first season of the show, Victor; a Latino high school student; slowly comes to grips with the fact that he is gay. The first season ends with him saying, “Mom and Dad, I’m gay.” His dad is surprisingly good about adjusting, but his very religious mother Isabel has a much harder time. And this is not helped by a homophobic priest who tells her that Victor will not know God’s Love. When the priest says this same thing to Adrian, Victor’s younger brother, Isabel confronts him. She has managed to mostly start her journey of acceptance and affirmation, and she tells the priest that she and God both love Victor. She then quits her position at the church and the priest tells her not to give up on God. That is when she utters my favorite line of the season: “I’m not giving up on God. I’m giving up on you.”

See, queer people who are religious have heard this line or something like it so many times before. We are told that we are dirty, unclean, perverted, unloved, and damned to perdition merely because we are who we are. We are told that we are choosing a lifestyle that is antithetical to the Bible and that God will reject us. We are told that we cannot be a part of the church. Some churches will “accept” us, so long as we are quiet about who we are and don’t cause “scandal”. Some churches outright refuse to let us be members, fearing that we will “corrupt” people and lead them away from God.

But here’s the thing: Those of us who choose to stay in churches, particularly affirming churches, aren’t rejecting God. We are rejecting the organizations that reject us. We are rejecting the teachings that tell us that we are less than others or that we are second-class citizens. We know that God’s Love is all inclusive. We know that God Loves us all wholly and completely. We have faith that God, who is the Parent to all of us, will be there for us even if our biological or religious families reject us.

As we heard in the letter to the Ephesians: “You are included in God’s holy place and are members of the household of God.” Or as it says in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, neither heights nor depths—nor anything else in all creation—will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Savior.”

God’s love is whole, complete, and unconditional. We cannot earn it, we do not need to earn it, it just is. God loves us, not because She has to, but because They choose to. God made us all and made us just the way He wanted us to be. Whether that is gay, straight, lesbian, bi, pan, or asexual, whether that is trans, cis, non-binary, or agender, or any of the other glorious and beautiful possibilities that I may not have mentioned, you are a child of God, created by God, loved by God, and perfect just as you are. Know that, feel that, and accept that. And if you need to hear it, just let me know. I’ll say it again: you are a child of God, created by God, loved by God, and perfect just as you are.

If you’re an ally, please make sure that all of the queer people in your life know this and hear this often. When there is a world telling us how much of a burden we are, how twisted we are, how unnatural and corrupted we are, we need to hear from people who know that that is just not true. And don’t just mouth the words, make sure they are known through actions and deeds. If you see people spouting homophobic or transphobic things, say something. If you see someone who is queer struggling with being accepted because of who they are, show them that they are loved. Actions speak much louder than words and are more readily remembered.

If you are queer, know that there are churches who will accept and affirm you because of who you are. Not in spite of it, but because of it. You are beautiful, colorful flowers in the garden of life that God has made. Your queerness is sacred, it is holy. It is a part of you and you are sacred and holy too. Know that even if there are churches which reject you, God does not reject you. God Loves you and wants you to live a whole and complete life. That is Pride. Living who you are to the best of your ability. If there is someone out there who is queer, even if we don’t know it, know that you are loved. Know that you are a part of a community that will embrace you and help you and love you. It can be messy at times, but that’s family. That’s community.

So remember that line: “I’m not giving up on God. I’m giving up on you.” Remember that giving up on homophobic churches doesn’t mean giving up on God. It means giving up on structures or organizations or people who hurt you. Come to know the loving embrace of God. Come to know all the love that is there. Above all, know this: you are a child of God, created by God, loved by God, and perfect just as you are.

Amen.

Sermon for Good Shepherd Sunday (4/25/2021)

This is my first non-Reconciling in Christ sermon given on April 25, 2021.

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Welcome and well come to Christ the Servant Lutheran Church. In some churches, today is known as “Good Shepherd Sunday”. Take a look at the Gospel, and it is pretty easy to see why. Jesus describes Himself as “[t]he good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.” To add to that, we have Psalm 23 which starts with “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” The primary job of the shepherd is to protect the flock under their watch, to make sure that the flock gets to where it needs to go, to feed them, and to keep them safe.

In the second reading today, we hear the author of 1 John say: “My children, our love must not be simply words or mere talk-it must be true love, which shows itself in action and truth.” Our love, our faith is not something we are meant to have to put on a shelf and dust off every Sunday. It is a living force meant to animate our lives, to breathe life into our actions, and to drive us to go out and help others. If we want to truly follow Christ, we need to act on our faith, not just say that we believe in it.

If we want to follow Jesus, we need to derive inspiration from His actions and we need to do what we can to protect “the flock”. But who is the flock? Is it just the people who believe in Jesus? For much of the church’s history, the “flock” referred to Christians, to people who followed Christ. But that reading of the word “flock” runs counter to some of Jesus’ other teachings. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells the questioner that their neighbor is anyone. And if our neighbor is everyone, would Jesus expect any less of Himself than to regard everyone as His neighbor? In Matthew 25 (also known as the Sheep and the Goats), Jesus talks about how the nations will be divided based on how they have cared for the least among them. Those who feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and visit those ill or in prison, will go to eternal life. Again, notice that this is not limited to any particular group; whether ethnic, religious, racial, etc.; it is anyone who is in need of help.

In James 2:14-20, 26, it says:

"My [siblings], what good is it to profess faith without practicing it? Such faith has no power to save. If any are in need of clothes and have no food to live on, and one of you says to them, "Goodbye and good luck. Stay warm and well-fed," without giving them the bare necessities of life, then what good is this? So it is with Faith. If good deeds don't go with it, faith is dead.

Some of you will say that you have faith, while I have deeds. Fine: I'll prove to you that I have faith by showing you my good deeds. Now you prove to me that you have faith without any good deeds to show. You believe in One God. Fine. But even the demons have the same belief, and they tremble with fear. Don't you realize, you idiots, that faith without good deeds is useless?...

Be assured then, that faith without works is as dead as a body without a spirit."

In all of these, we see that having faith on its own is not enough. Faith should drive us into action. Faith should lead us to care for others; to protect the poor, the young, the widowed, and the marginalized. If our faith doesn’t lead us to do something, then it is not faith, it is belief. And belief, on its own, is as useless as the “hope and prayers” all too frequently thrown out as a supposed balm after a tragic incident.

In the song “Hands”, Jewel sings about how we are all to help take care of each other. She says:

I won't be made useless

Won't be idle with despair

I'll gather myself around my faith

For light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know

But they're not yours, they are my own

But they're not yours, they are my own

And I am never broken

We'll fight, not out of spite

For someone must stand up for what's right

'Cause where there's a man who has no voice

There ours shall go singing

As followers of Christ, our calling is to be shepherds for each other. We are to look out for each other, care for each other, and protect each other. If we see injustices taking place, if we see people in need, if we see people under attack, we are called to respond. This is more than a request or an optional good deed. Faith requires action. We must help those who we can help. In order to be a living faith, it *MUST* be put into action.

And there are so many things in the world that need our attention. There is the devaluation of the lives of Black, indigenous, and people of color; there are attacks on trans people (particularly trans youth); there are people who go hungry every day; people who do not have homes; people who do not have clean water to drink; there are assaults on our right to vote freely and fairly; there are too many people imprisoned for acts which were incredibly minor or even for crimes they never committed; there are attacks on our environment in the name of progress; and so much more. I must admit, it can be overwhelming. It is all too easy to just throw up your hands and say “I can’t fix it! I’m just one person!”

But, we are the Body of Christ, not just one individual person. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about how we are one body made up of many parts. Not every part of the body can (or should) do the same thing. He then extends that to talk about how there are many roles in the church:

there are apostles,

there are prophets,

then there are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

Likewise, when we are looking to put our faith into action, there are many ways we can do it. We can take direct action and take part in protests, parades, or marches. But not everyone can do that. I know that I, for example, have trouble with them because I get anxious when I am around large groups of people. So, for people like me, we can (for example) write letters; make calls; educate and inform others; help organize events; donate food, drink, clothing, or money; or volunteer at a shelter.

Now, I know a lot of us already do at least one or two of these things. I want to challenge you to try and do more if you can. If you already volunteer at a shelter or help center, try finding out about an issue and contact the appropriate legislator/regulator to do something to help address that issue. If you give money, see if there is a way you can get more directly involved, maybe by joining a phone bank or letter writing campaign. And so on and so forth. We are not going to be able to solve the issues overnight, but we still must do what we can to help others and to drive our nation to be a more perfect union that truly addresses the needs of its people. For they are our siblings, and we are their shepherds. We must be love for the world. There is a saying attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Go out and preach unto all the world. If necessary, use words.” May our actions show our faith in action. May we protect and help those who are overlooked or ignored by society.

To close today, I want to pray a prayer from “God’s Work, Our Hands” Sunday:

The God of compassion, hope and joy, 
Our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer,
Bless your feet to carry you into places of need. 
Bless your lips to proclaim love and mercy. 
Bless your heart to love and listen to those you encounter. 
Bless your hands to care for the needs of your neighbors. 
Bless you to be a blessing to others. 
Now and always.  
Amen.

May God bless you and keep you. Know that you are a child of God and God love you for exactly who you are.

Sermon for Reconciling in Christ Sunday 2021

Welcome and well come to Christ the Servant Church on this Reconciling in Christ Sunday. Over the last couple of years, we have had members of the queer community speak on RIC Sunday. In 2018, we had a few members of the community and Pastor speak about what being a part of a RIC community has meant for them. In 2019, I spoke about how we needed to widen the circle of those who are a part of the church and use the gifts of all people, especially those who have historically been marginalized in order to allow for the fullest flourishing of the Church. Last year, Michael Yeschenko spoke to us about his past and how the gifts of many in the queer community, particularly trans women of color, are ignored or worse because of discrimination against the queer community and the killing of many trans people, particularly women of color.

This year, I want to take some threads from each of those sermons and explore them further. But before I do that, I want to briefly focus on one aspect of the second reading that has been used as a weapon by some people. In Galatians, we have Paul warning us not to fall prey to the flesh since the flesh is at odds with the Spirit. Many people interpret this in a dualistic light that things which are physical are unimportant, or even evil, and that only that which is spiritual is important. This leads to people policing the bodies of others or ignoring the physical needs of people in order to “save their souls”.

The policing of bodies has a tremendous impact on trans people (particularly trans women) and people whose gender presentation does not match the gender presentation people expect. We see some people denying the humanity of trans women and insisting that they are sexual predators who are merely out to prey on women in restrooms or locker rooms. We have transgender individuals who become sick because they are harassed so much when they need to use bathrooms in schools or other public buildings because people may try to prevent them from using the proper bathroom. We have trans or gender non-conforming people who are beaten or killed because they do not look like what people think they should look like.

If you remember the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats from Christ the King, the ruler separates the sheep and the goats based on whether or not they have taken care of others. The criteria being used are all based around taking care of the physical needs of others: feeding the hungry, providing drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, comforting those who are sick, and visiting those who are imprisoned. Notice that none of these are purely spiritual needs being met. There are spiritual or emotional benefits to each of these, but the primary action is taking care of a physical need. How many times have you heard people insist that it is more important to save souls than protect the bodies of those who are in need? How many times have those who claim to follow Christ insist that, as a society, we should not make sure that those who are suffering are taken care of, but instead we hear about how their situation is their own fault?  The answer is all too many.

But the thing is that this reading of flesh is missing a key idea. The idea of flesh in Galatians is not about physicality, but rather it is related to sin or selfishness. In other words, it’s about the breaking down of community and communal caring for each other. When read in this light, the passage takes on new meaning. It is a call that lines up with the Great Commandments we read from Matthew 22 in 2019. As a reminder, here is what we read:

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had left the Sadducees speechless, they gathered together and one of them, an expert on the Law, attempted to trick Jesus with a question: “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest?” 

Jesus answered: 

“‘You must love the Most High God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 

 “That is the first and greatest commandment.  The second is like it: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these the whole Law is based—and the Prophets as well.”

The second commandment here is also quoted in the reading from Galatians to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And when we pair these with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we see that our neighbor is anyone around us.

All of this leads us inexorably towards the idea that the fruits of the Spirit are made manifest by us being in full community with each other and by our taking care of all of those around us, particularly those who have been marginalized or shunned by society. When we take care of those around us, that allows their gifts to fully flourish because they can focus on something other than survival. When we fully open our hearts and our doors to all people, it increases the gifts that are present in the Church and that in turn strengthens the Church. Our diversity and our differences make us stronger. Only by fully embracing the different gifts of all members of the Church can the Church truly become what it is meant to be.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to pay attention to the fruits that spring forth because “a sound tree produces good fruit and a rotten tree produces bad fruit. A sound tree cannot produce rotten fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit”. In the same way, a church that fully embraces the Love of God and the full humanity of all people is more likely to produce the good fruits of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patient endurance, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. The reverse is also true.

So today, I want to challenge each of you. I want you to think about someone in this church community (or in your life if you are a guest today) and about a gift that they bring to the church. At some point this week, I want you to reach out to them. It can be a phone call, an email, a text message, or a safely socially distanced chat. Name the gift that they bring to the church and let them know how you see that that gift has helped this community. I only have one rule: Don’t pick your spouse/partner/significant other or any family member. Hopefully, you are already telling them about the gifts that they bring. Pick someone different, maybe someone who may not hear about the gifts they bring to the table often.

You don’t need to report who you chose or anything and I am hoping that we all pick different people.

To close, I want to pray a Diversity Blessing that I found on a website called jesuitresource.org.  It was written by Clare McBeath and Tim Presswood:

May the God who created a world of diversity and vibrancy, Go with us as we embrace life in all its fullness.

May the Son who teaches us to care for stranger and foreigners, Go with us as we try to be good neighbors in our communities.

May the Spirit who breaks down our barriers and celebrates community, Go with us as we find the courage to create a place of welcome for all.

Amen.