The Times, They Are a Changin'

"In the Last Days," God says, "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams." [Acts 2:17, The Message]

When the first gay pride parade occurred in New York City on September 28, 1970, The Village Voice described it as follows: "They stretched in a line, from Gimbels to Times Square, thousands and thousands and thousands, chanting, waving, screaming -- the outrageous and the outraged, splendid in their flaming colors, splendid in their delirious up-front birthday celebration of liberation...No one could quite believe it, eyes rolled back in heads, wondrous faces poked out of air-conditioned cars. My God, are those really homosexuals? Marching? Up Sixth Avenue?"

God does, indeed, move in mysterious ways. God's Spirit gets poured out on every kind of people [even us homosexuals] and stuff starts to happen. Since that first Gay Pride parade the movement for LGBT equality has blossomed in ways that those who were around in 1970 could not possibly imagine. Gays I've spoken to who are in their 60's and 70's always tell me not to get too discouraged because we've come amazingly far in such a short time. They tell me to keep dreaming and keep fighting. And so I shall...hopefully you will do the same!

Right now almost every major denomination is debating issues surrounding LGBT equality. I do not think this is an accident. I do not think is part of the "gay agenda." I believe it is a Spirit led movement that is powered by the dreams and visions God has planted on many LGBT hearts and their straight allies [We love you so much! Thanks for supporting us!]. Our community is asking for a place at the table. Jesus has already invited us but, unfortunately, there are a number of frightened waiters who blocking our way and won't give us a seat! I believe we will be victorious in some Christian denominations if we, consistently but lovingly, continue to dream the dreams of an inclusive church and work hard to make it a reality. [It happened in the ELCA!] There's going to be many more setbacks along the way but, take heart, we've come a long way, baby!