It is June! It is PRIDE month! It is already the middle of June -- and we can see signs of preparation all around us. This is also the month when most United Methodist Annual Conferences have their Annual sessions -- we had our session June 2-4, 2019. Paula Roderick is our member of Annual Conference, so she was there. She will be giving a report of her experience soon. Here are a few more things that I want to share with you:
Our deacon M Barclay was ordained on Sunday, June 2nd, which is a big celebration for us. But another reason to celebrate is to know that many other conferences have been participating in this holy defiance. So far, 5 Annual Conferences have ordained or commissioned 9 out queer clergy.
We supported our continued effort to:
Affirm the dignity of every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and straight person,
Limit complaints and trials of LGBTQIA+ persons in our conference, and
Inclusion as a Reconciling Conference,
We elected a delegation to the 2020 General Conference that is fully committed to full inclusion of all siblings in Christ -- including the LGBTQIA+ persons. Ronnie and I are honored to be part of the delegation, and I am humbled to be called to chair the same.
On church front -- we have kicked off PRIDE month with a bang too. I had no doubt, but now that I have listened to Savannah’s sermon, I know we are off to a good start. Last Sunday we had 4 drag performers participate in worship -- who performed and shared their faith stories: it is difficult to hear that every one of them has been harmed by the church -- and yet they find a way to connect and reconnect with God in their own ways. For many like them -- the bar becomes church -- where they are accepted for who they are -- children of God. I feel ashamed to be part of the institution that continues to harm people, but the performers came to us with no judgement on us. They came to share their love, their joy in what they do -- in fact one of the 4 that were with us is currently a seminary student! I hope we can learn from them and one day be as forgiving and non-judgmental as they are.
I look forward to the rest of the month! This Sunday, Sue Laurie will be preaching, and M will close the month on Pride Sunday. But, while we celebrate, we also remember those whose lives, on this very day, were cut short by a senseless PULSE shooting, and many others who have lost their lives since. We remember many who still are waiting for their call to be affirmed by the church and the many who continued to be harmed by the church.
Friends, let us work towards becoming a church where all can feel welcome, all can feel accepted and all feel loved. And remember, I am always your partner in justice!
