I was one of 5 women from our church along with our rector, who is also female, in baking Hot Cross Buns to be served and sold after our First Mass Of Easter on Sunday. The question from the rector was "what is the Wednesday of Holy Week called?" We know that tomorrow is Maundy Thursday, Friday is Good Friday, and Saturday, until sunset is simply Holy Saturday. MJ, our rector, let us think about it for a while, but we were in the process of baking 42 dozen of the buns, and had to give up and let her tell us. The title for the day is Spy Wednesday, since it is the traditional day that Judas Iscariot had sold his services to the Sanhedrin to capture Jesus. OK very interesting!! I had never heard that title for it, but it makes sense.
There I was however, as just one of the members of the Episcopal Church Women members of our parish helping the others without question that I belonged there. I have actually loved to do baking, since I was a young child and the proceeds from selling the extra buns will benefit a shelter for battered women in our community. This is a far distance from where I was last year only two months after my SRS. I am not misgendered, and parents and small children have no problem at all with me, and I now hold an office in the church I had never held in 40 years as my male self. I am a lay minister of the Word, and will be reading a special scripture at our Vigil Service Saturday after sundown. At the main service on Sunday I will be leading the congregational prayers (The Great Intercession) and some other duties that I love to do. I truly feel the sense of Resurrection in my life that has happened from becoming real in my life, and dying to a false self that was in the world for so many years and keeping me from enjoying the depth of my spirit.
For the next few days I will be keeping all of my Trans* brothers and sisters in my prayers that you too can be found by the Risen Lord and lead to church families who love you and accept you and who will nourish your spirits. We are a group of people with a great depth of spirituality and more to offer than others may at first believe.
The Peace that surpasses all understanding be with you into a Holy Easter.
