Yesterday at the West Hollywood Pride Parade and Festival, I took part in the parade with a group of people from the Los Angeles Diocese of the Episcopal Church where I am a member. Before the parade began, one of our bishops celebrated Holy Communion (to us Eucharist) in the parking lot of a bank at the formation area of the parade. We had about 80 people there, and most were gay or lesbian, but I was able to count three of us who are trans, and one person who is shyly androgyne, but sweet as can be. In our church belief, Eucharist is a family meal where Christ is both provider and preparer of the meal of bread and wine. All of us there are in different parishes in the most southern 1/3 of California and this was a time for those of us who have accepted ourselves for what we are over the GLBTQAI et al spectrum to be together for this important part of our church life.
The service was important three ways, because it was also the Feast Of Pentecost of which Acts 2 paints a vivid picture, and we were there to show Christ's message of love for our TGLBT brothers and sisters, and yes, straight and Cis folks as well. The third important focus, was that it was the 45th anniversary of Stonewall when the T community helped light the match on a light to guide the GLBT community forward. Our preacher who delivered a short sermon was a Trans* man, who was fired from a job as a department head of religious studies, at a christian based university in a community near where I live.
In reality, since the service was early in the morning, we had breakfast with Jesus as a family, and learned from the experience once again that Jesus and God are are happy with us and accept us into the very mysteries of the Holy Communion where we are ONE with all others, as God and Christ are One.
and I thought you have literally had breakfast with Jesus.... I was expecting some sort of revelations over a mickey Ds quarter-pounder or some visions over French fries...
Seriously, glad you have found a welcoming church !
Quote from: peky on June 09, 2014, 06:16:13 PM
and I thought you have literally had breakfast with Jesus.... I was expecting some sort of revelations over a mickey Ds quarter-pounder or some visions over French fries...
Seriously, glad you have found a welcoming church !
It was a small corner of rye bread and a sip of an otherwise un distinguished red wine blessed by our bishop. After the Eucharist was finished, there were donuts and coffee too!!. We Episcopalians do take a highly symbolic view of that service, and it can confuse other protestants a bit, but it is part of the whole reason we can easily accept our GLBT members.
That is wonderful. I wish I could find that.
Hugs,
Jen
I know what bank parking lot ya'll were at - wish I had known about the service and I would have joined you :-\
It will be there next year, and ALL are invited to join in with us Eva. :)
I'm with Peky. I thought you had died and posted from heaven! :) Glad you are still with us. :-*
Seriously though it must be nice to have faith that accepts you. Mine just came out with a resolution banning me so I have to move on I suppose. :(
My heart really goes out to you Jessica. Having our church turn against us is one of the worst feelings to have. I actually had it happen to me 40 years ago for a reason not related to gender or sexuality, but it was still terrible. (I was Presbyterian at the time.) Even in my current church, I went through a Dark Night Of The Soul as I was first dealing with my gender issues, and could not believe ANY place could accept me. To hear it from a pulpit must be devastating.
Integrity, which is a GLBT organization within the Episcopal Church has a web site that lists individual parishes of the church which are specially trained as "Welcoming" churches for GLBT people. I am not shy about letting people know that there ARE churches for them, who will love them in Christ's fellowship. http://www.integrityusa.org/welcoming-congregations (http://www.integrityusa.org/welcoming-congregations)
Quote from: Vicky on June 10, 2014, 11:49:45 AM
It will be there next year, and ALL are invited to join in with us Eva. :)
I'll be there! What time does the service start?
Quote from: Jessica Merriman on June 10, 2014, 11:58:09 AM
I'm with Peky. I thought you had died and posted from heaven! :) Glad you are still with us. :-*
Seriously though it must be nice to have faith that accepts you. Mine just came out with a resolution banning me so I have to move on I suppose. :(
Oh crap Jess, upsetting, so sorry to hear this. If they have the balls and the heart to do that you don't need them sweetie, that's not His heart showing at all.
I get so mad at this.
You are a strong lady Jess and have our total support, compassion and prayers.
And Vicky you really impress me. I still struggle with the church and with old "tapes" of condemnation, no matter how hard I try to let it go, it's still there. I am still stealth in our church.
And thanks for including the AQI in your acronym ;) I don't think there are many Q's in this world that are out, but the T in there brings us into belonging anyway.
Love and Blessings to all here.