06/26/2014
Spirit Blog
Pride and Transformation
More and more I am convinced that we have only begun to understand how the Spirit is changing the world through human rights movements. There have been many times when progressive spiritual people have been at the forefront of social change, compelled by the vision of Jesus’s equitable kin-dom to look suffering and neglect square in the face and do something about it. And that is exactly what we are doing as we commemorate the Stonewall Inn riots during this season of Pride.
The LGBTQIA Pride movement celebrates the wildfire that has spread around the world in recent generations to bring dignity, security and freedom for diverse sexual, relational and gender expression. Our denomination has been at the forefront of this movement and we long ago learned that our calling was about more than inclusion – our calling is no less than to transform ourselves and our world into full empowerment and purpose through the Love of God that flows into and out of our lives when we become free enough to let it.
One of the Apostle John’s letters tells us, “There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear….” And in many ways that is what all of the hype, fun, over-the-top subversiveness, and camp humor at Pride marches is all about. For one glorious evening, activists, professionals, students, the unemployed, clergy, sex-workers, young, old, families, firefighters, politicians, survivors, the sober, the inebriated, performing artists and a zillion others march together on behalf of the right of all humanity to love and embody that love relationally. We edify one another to face fears and obstacles with perseverance and hope, and our joy in living, I believe, rises to the heavens as a blessing to our Creator.
So, Happy Pride to each of you. This is a time for all of the human family to rejoice, and may we invite one another, always, to the table of genuine communion and embodied love with generosity and openness.
Glad you’re there,
Rev. Pressley
Spirit Blog
Pride and Transformation
More and more I am convinced that we have only begun to understand how the Spirit is changing the world through human rights movements. There have been many times when progressive spiritual people have been at the forefront of social change, compelled by the vision of Jesus’s equitable kin-dom to look suffering and neglect square in the face and do something about it. And that is exactly what we are doing as we commemorate the Stonewall Inn riots during this season of Pride.
The LGBTQIA Pride movement celebrates the wildfire that has spread around the world in recent generations to bring dignity, security and freedom for diverse sexual, relational and gender expression. Our denomination has been at the forefront of this movement and we long ago learned that our calling was about more than inclusion – our calling is no less than to transform ourselves and our world into full empowerment and purpose through the Love of God that flows into and out of our lives when we become free enough to let it.
One of the Apostle John’s letters tells us, “There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear….” And in many ways that is what all of the hype, fun, over-the-top subversiveness, and camp humor at Pride marches is all about. For one glorious evening, activists, professionals, students, the unemployed, clergy, sex-workers, young, old, families, firefighters, politicians, survivors, the sober, the inebriated, performing artists and a zillion others march together on behalf of the right of all humanity to love and embody that love relationally. We edify one another to face fears and obstacles with perseverance and hope, and our joy in living, I believe, rises to the heavens as a blessing to our Creator.
So, Happy Pride to each of you. This is a time for all of the human family to rejoice, and may we invite one another, always, to the table of genuine communion and embodied love with generosity and openness.
Glad you’re there,
Rev. Pressley