The news out of our American politics has been distracting these last few weeks. Major events have left me reeling and feeling like I’m leashed to a runaway train. I find myself reaching for my phone and tapping in my favorite news site more frequently. I’m having a difficult time focusing and making decisions. Things feel unsteady. Really unsteady.
If you feel this way too, just know you aren’t alone. We are scared together, raging at the injustice together, dismayed by the misinformation, and sickened by the violence together.
And as Christ followers we can center ourselves back into the gospel, back into Jesus’ teachings about what it means to build the kindom. There are so many things that are out of our control. And yet there are so many things still within reach that, despite it all, can make a real difference in our lives, the lives of one another, and in our community.
Our church is a beacon of hope and safety for LGBTQ+ people seeking a faith community. They/we can’t just enter the doors of any church and expect to be safe and welcome. Being thoughtfully and genuinely inclusive of gender diverse people is one way we can do gospel work.
This Sunday, a young friend or two will be joining me for a conversation instead of a traditional sermon. The work that LGBTQ+ youth are doing, particularly on the topic of gender, is radical, liberatory, and reflects to me a glimpse of the kindom. I’m excited for you to get a glimpse too.
After worship I will facilitate a conversation on gender diversity and the ways we can continue to grow as a welcoming congregation to gender diverse people. This will be a confidential space where we can ask our questions and express our wonderings in a space of collective learning.
I love you and love being your pastor.
Page
Ministry Highlight: A Conversation About Gender Diversity and Being a Welcoming Congregation
We are in a time of rapid growth in our understanding of what it means to be human. Questions we didn’t even know to ask a decade ago are now commonplace. Conversations about identity include ideas we didn’t have language for when most of us were growing up. The world around us has changed and it can feel hard to know the kindest, most welcoming ways to engage with a diverse community. If you feel that way too, you are not alone!
So let's talk about it! After service on July 21 Pastor Page will facilitate a conversation about gender diversity- answer your questions, break down some myths, and help us all feel more confident and comfortable with the concepts and language. We will also talk about some simple yet powerful ways to help gender diverse folks feel more welcome and loved in our space.
