I'm Christian. I'm Gay. Let's Talk.

A Little R&R

2012-01-27T06:31:00.000-05:00

I'm away on vacation for a little R&R. Don't give up on me. I'll be posting again soon!!!

A Recipe For Revolution

2012-01-26T07:03:00.000-05:00

Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, once said "To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right."

Now there's a recipe for revolution! Confucius reminds us that if we want to change the world, this change must first start with us. The LGBT community wants the world to to be more accepting and tolerant of us, and yet, we are sometimes guilty of being as judgmental and intolerant of those we would like to change. If we really want to change the world, I am convinced that all of us need to do the kind of deep soul work that sows the seeds of revolution. We need to be more God-centered, more peace-filled, and more compassionate. We need to fortify our spiritual resources so that when we go out into the world God's light will shine through us so brightly that every dark corner of our world will be illuminated.

The time has come for the LGBT community to get serious about it's spirituality. It is the one thing that is in short supply as we go about our work of equality and justice-making. However, it is the one thing we really need if we are serious about changing the world.

God and Mr. Magoo

2012-01-25T06:41:00.000-05:00

This is a funny and insightful passage I came across in Dan Savage's book "The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marraige and My Family." Hope you enjoy it!

"Sitting in a hotel room in Portland, Oregon, I listened to a 'Christian leader' on a cable news shoutfest describe the December 26, 2004, earthquake and tsunami that killed a quarter of a million people in Asia as evidence of God's displeasure. With Asians? No, with same-sex marriage. 'We can't allow things that offend God to flourish without expecting to incur the wrath of God,' she said. She cited gay and lesbian marriages in Canada, San Francisco, and Massachusetts. 'Gay marriage offends God deeply,' hence the killer wave."

God may be all-knowing and all-powerful, but He is, it seems, a lousy shot, the Mr. Magoo of higher powers. Same-sex couples get married in Boston, Toronto and San Francisco, and a vengeful, near-sighted God triggers an earthquake that slams a killer wave into Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, killing a quarter of a million people who weren't even invited to the wedding.

But perhaps I'm being unfair to God. Sometimes He does manage to score a direct hit. The 1993 Northridge Earthquake, measuring a 6.7 on the Richter scale, scored a direct hit to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. Christian conservative leader Pat Robertson was quick to blame the multi-billion dollar porn industry, which is based in the San Fernando Valley, for an earthquake that took fifty-seven lives and caused billions of dollars in damage. God doesn't like pornography, you see, and while not one of the people who died that day was a porn star, a porn director, or a porn producer, God's message was clear: Stop making dirty movies in the San Fernando Valley or I'll drop some more houses on innocent bystanders."

Gone Fishing...Or Does Jesus Have Something Else in Mind?

2012-01-24T07:01:00.001-05:00

"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw the brothers Simon and Andrew casting their nets into the sea, since they fished by trade. Jesus said to them, 'Follow me; I will make you fishers of humankind.' They immediately abandoned their nets and followed Jesus." [Mk 1:16-18, The Inclusive Bible]

One of the most well known images for evangelism comes from last Sunday's gospel lesson. This same invitation is also found in Matthew 4:18-20. The image of fishing for people is well known in Christian circles. However, is fishing for people really the best analogy for evangelism in our day and age?

Imagine yourself as a fish in a quiet, tranquil lake. You're blissfully swimming along with all the other little fishies. You're happy and content, when all of a sudden you see what you thought was a tasty snack. You swim up to it and swallow it whole only to discover that you now have a hook snagged in your jaw. The pain is unbelievable.

Before you know it, you're snatched from the lake and are flopping desperately on the shore, trying to breathe. Then you're gutted, cleaned, dusted with flour and cornmeal and end up in a frying pan. Is this really the image we want to use for evangelism in our day and age?

It may well be that we are so fixed on the image of being fishers of people that we are missing the deeper meaning of what Jesus was trying say. Perhaps Jesus invited Simon and Andrew to "fish for people" because that's who they were...fishermen. If Simon and Andrew had been farmers, would Jesus have invited them to "fish for people" or would he have issued an invitation to become "Kingdom seed planters"?

Perhaps Jesus invited Simon and Andrew to "fish for people" because it fit who they were. It was a metaphor they could understand. It took advantage of their unique abilities. If this is the case, then it only makes sense that Jesus calls us to follow him in a way that fits who we are, too.

We don't have to become someone we aren't in order to follow Jesus. We don't have to have a special skill set in order to be used by God to build the Kingdom. Instead, Jesus frees us to simply be ourselves; to use our unique abilities in service of him.

Whether we are a doctor or an artist, a factory worker or a stay-at-home parent, a teacher or a supervisor, an engineer or a waitress, Jesus calls us to use the talents and strengths we have to make a contribution to the God’s Kingdom that we alone can make.

Imagine the freedom and excitement Jesus offers each of us by inviting us to be ourselves, and use our unique abilities to bless others! We don't need to be anybody other than who we already are. We simply need to trust that God can and will use us to build the Kingdom and bless others in the name of Christ.

Therefore, we can stop worrying about what we don't have or who we aren't as an excuse for not ministering to others. Instead, we can celebrate our uniqueness, as individuals and as churches, and begin to ask the exciting question "What metaphor does Jesus intend for us as we answer the call to follow him?" Think about it.

Rainbow Jesus

2012-01-23T06:59:00.014-05:00

The other day, while searching the internet for images of Jesus, I came across one that is known in Eastern Orthodox circles as "Christ Pantocrator." The most common translation of "Pantocrator" is "Almighty" or "All-powerful". Another, more literal translation is "Ruler of All" or, less literally, "Sustainer of the World".

I have always been a fan of icons and have a number of them in my home. The ones of

Christ Pantocrator I'm especially fond of include the image of a rainbow as well. Now I know the original artist never intended this icon to be a symbol of Jesus' love for his "queer" children. But, that's how Christ Pantocrator speaks to this post-modern believer. It tells me that Jesus is the strength of all his children, no matter what color of the rainbow we attach to ourselves. Jesus sustains our lives and is our rock when times get tough.

So let's take something old and make it new again. Enjoy this image. Let it speak to you as it may. Hopefully, it will stand as a visual reminder of the deep and steadfast love Jesus has for all of us. Blessings!

A Video on Gay Marriage

2012-01-22T18:03:00.001-05:00

This video was sent to me over the past few days and I thought it was done with a lot of love and care. If you can use it, pass it on to others. We ARE all in this together. We need to begin healing our nation and our world and stop of the needless bickering that's killing us all.

All Are Welcome?

2012-01-20T09:58:00.005-05:00

Have you noticed lately that everyone is using the phrase "all are welcome" as a part of their Christian witness? But do they really meant it? One church in my hometown attached this phrase to a small yard sign next to their invitation for Christmas Eve Worship. However, I know for a fact that while everyone will be welcomed on Christmas Eve, a gay or lesbian couple would not be received so warmly if they continued to worship there after the holiday season was over.

Far too many churches have adopted this saying without really thinking about the implications of what it means. To extend a radical, hospitable welcome is not an easy thing. Jesus was criticized for it several times in the scriptures. He was called a drunkard and a friend of sinners [Mt 11:19, Lk 7:34]. The church-going folk of his day looked down on him because of the company he kept. But this did not deter Jesus from teaching about God's gracious invitation for everyone to come and dine [Lk 14:21-24].

My church is in the final steps of the Reconciling in Christ process through which we aim to define our congregation as a church where all are truly welcome. During this process, we've come to the conclusion that the phrase "All Are Welcome" has lost its power and doesn't have the same meaning it once did. We are writing a "Welcome Statement" that clearly defines our mission as a congregation and names names in the list of who is truly welcome at Abiding Savior. We're also working with a graphic designer to help us convey this radical welcome with a new church logo. I'll unveil it to you once it's adopted by the congregation.

The reason why I bring this up is that I believe the phrase "All Are Welcome" is dead. It has lost its meaning because it has been relegated to an overused catch phrase. The challenge is for progressive congregations to talk about what it truly means to live out this phrase. Then, when we're ready to embrace the meaning of these words, we need to tell our story to the community at large with clarity and power.

The world is waiting to find churches where "all means all." Do we have the courage and conviction to embody this phrase in the life and ministry of our churches? I hope so.

The Spiritual Life

2012-01-19T13:25:00.005-05:00

I have heard of people having life-changing, miraculous turnarounds, people set free from addiction after a single prayer, relationships saved where both parties "let go, and let God." But it was not like that for me. For all that "I was lost, I am found," it is probably more accurate to say, "I was really lost, I’m a little less so at the moment." And then a little less and a little less again. That to me is the spiritual life. The slow reworking and rebooting of a computer at regular intervals, reading the small print of the service manual. It has slowly rebuilt me in a better image. It has taken me years, though, and it is not over yet. --Bono, "U2 By U2"

I'm a big Bono fan and have listened to U2 ever since I was in college. I really like Bono's description of the spiritual life because it is true to what many other people experience as well. We would all like to have burning bush moments or neon signs from God. However, God doesn't really seem to be into pyrotechnics. God seems to favor the still small voice, the one step forward, the slight turn of an attitude or a thought.

There is an old wisdom saying that goes something like this: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." We grow to become more like Jesus, every time we take a step forward in faith or wisdom and maturity: When we forgive someone who rejected us because we were gay, we take a step forward. When we can own the truth that what God thinks and what the church thinks are not always the same thing, we take a step forward. When we confront someone who utters the slur "fag" or other hateful words, we take a step forward.

The spiritual life is a journey not a destination. It is living day by day as GLBT children of God, celebrating our victories and learning from our defeats. We, like Bono, may have been really lost at one point in our lives, but we are a little less so at the moment.

Gay Saint: Aelred, Feast Day - Jan 12th

2012-01-12T09:18:00.003-05:00

Kittredge Cherry writes an excellent blog and ran the following piece which came from Trinity Stores and it's amazing icon painter Robert Lentz. Check out some of his other creative and inspiring images on the store's web site:

Aelred lived in northern Britain at the time when Norman cultural values were displacing more ancient Celtic ways. He was himself most likely a Celt, and was the son of a married priest. As a young man he was taken into the service of King David of Scotland. Intimate male friendship was common in old Celtic culture and Aelred became the closest of friends with the King’s son and stepsons.

At 24 he left the court and became a monk at the Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx. The Cistercians were reformers of western Christian monasticism, who stressed simplicity and the contemplative life. Their order was newly founded when Aelred joined and he is counted as one of the first Cistercian mystical theologians.

Aelred has been called the patron saint of friendship. He wrote a treatise called Spiritual Friendship, in which he says, "...what is true of charity I surely do not hesitate to grant friendship, since he that abides in friendship abides in God, and God in him."

There is No Fun in Fundamentalism

2012-01-11T14:08:00.002-05:00

"It is only a small minority of fundamentalists who commit acts of terror, but even the most peaceful and law-abiding are perplexing, because they seem so adamantly opposed to many of the most positive values of modern society. Fundamentalists have no time for democracy, pluralism, religious tolerance, peacekeeping, free speech, or the separation of church and state." --Karen Armstrong, "The Battle For God"

"Fundamentalism is the attempt to impose a single truth on a plural world." --Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

It doesn't matter whether it is Christian, Jewish or Muslim, fundamentalism in any form is not a good thing. It has been the source of worldwide terrorism since the beginning of time. It has led some to feel justified in bombing abortion clinics or bashing and killing gays, lesbians and transsexuals. It has fueled the fires of intolerance, hatred and bigotry, all in the name of God.

I have spent most of my life studying religious texts, and not just the Christian ones. At their core, all world religions teach that love, compassion, and mercy are the characteristics that best describe God. Every major world religion contains the command that we should love our neighbors as ourselves. Since when do we show someone love by bashing our brother's brains in or bombing his city? Since when do we show someone love by throwing our sister out of church or denying her equal protection under the law?

If our world is going to evolve, instead of descend into absolute anarchy, then we must move beyond fundamentalism. We must create a world where all people are valued and not just those who subscribe to a particular religious or political point of view. I write this blog because I believe that gay and lesbians voices need to be heard in the conversation about who God is and how God works in our world. I don't claim to have the absolute truth like some of my fundamentalist brothers and sisters. I do, however, have a passion for sharing what I have learned about God so far in my spiritual journey. I hope that all those who read my blog will have the courage to do the same.

Work It, Girl

2012-01-10T17:06:00.002-05:00

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. [James 2:14-17, NRSV]

Serving in the name of Christ is NOT an option for LGBT Christians, it is an absolute necessity. If we really believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, this kind of love has to have an effect on us. It should motivate us to love others with the same kind of self-sacrificing love that Jesus showed us.

The big question for all of us to answer is "What does loving service look like?" I believe it is different for each and every one of us since God has gifted us in many different ways. For some, it is serving people through practical ways such as becoming a mentor for a troubled gay teen or volunteering at the local food pantry for AIDS patients. For others, it is serving people through advocacy efforts such as working with groups such as the Human Rights Campaign or writing to our elected officials in local, state and national government. Still others, serve people through creative routes such as song writing and art which are aimed at changing people's perceptions of the world around them.

The trick to finding the right kind of service we should be involved in is matching our greatest gifts with the world's deepest needs. When we do this this, our service will be powerful and passionate. It will shine brightly because we are doing the kind of work we really care about instead of doing work we think we're supposed to do because it's "good for us."

Serve passionately my LGBT brothers and sisters. Care creatively. Together we can make a beautiful difference in the world around us.

Face of the Magi

2012-01-07T17:20:00.003-05:00

I was packing up the nativity set at my church earlier today and I noticed that the figures I was placing in their styrofoam containers look NOTHING like the real thing. There are two white magi: One with a crown. One with a turban. The third magi is very dark and looks like he came from deepest Africa which is a bit closer to the truth. The Holy Family and shepherd look like they came from Northern Europe. Nice little, white Protestants with not a single Middle Eastern face in sight.

Imagine what this scene would look like if the wise men had faces like those we see on our T.V.'s from Afghanistan or Iraq. Imagine what this scene would look like if the Holy Family had faces like those that come from Jerusalem or Palestine. This nice little white nativity would challenge us to the core because it would contain people from the places we seem to fear most in the world right now. They would not be our enemies or terrorists or godless heathens. They would be our brothers and sisters who are also searching for God and for things that are lasting and eternal.

Let us think about that for a minute and, hopefully, we will allow this story to confront us in ways it has never confronted us before! And, if we expand the circle a little bit more, we will discover that there is also room for our LGBT brothers and sisters to worship the Christ Child as well. The stories of Jesus’ birth speak of inclusion rather than exclusion if only we have ears to hear and eyes to see it. Let’s not settle for a “white-washed” version of this story but join the “heathen, low class” shepherds and “godless” foreigners in worshipping the Christ Child.

Epiphany Story

2012-01-05T17:23:00.004-05:00

"In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." [Matthew 2:1-2]

Tomorrow is the celebration of Epiphany and in many churches the story of the wise men is read. The first thing we notice about this text is that the wise men do not journey directly to Bethlehem. They stop in the city that was the epicenter of Jewish life and Roman power in that region...Jerusalem. When they hear that a new king was born, they go to the place where all new kings and rulers appear. It is the most logical location.

The interesting thing about this detail, however, is that this new king is NOT found in Jerusalem but in a little, podunk town called Bethlehem; a city in the "hill country" of Judah, five miles south of Jerusalem. This tells us that the king the wise men are searching for is a different kind of king than the ones they are used to dealing with. This king appears, not in places of power, hobnobbing with the rich and famous. This king appears in a rural town, among a forgotten people.

This is good news for us who live in a world where rulers are easily corrupted and governments cave-in to lobbyists and special interest groups. It serves as a reminder that Jesus, the ruler of our hearts, is found among the poor and the needy, the lost and abandoned. If we really want to see him face to face we will NOT see him in Baptist ministers running for political office or in T.V. preachers living lavish lifestyles. We will find Jesus sitting with the homeless on a park bench, shivering in the cold, waiting for a shelter to open for the night. We will find Jesus holding the hand of the victim of a hate crime who is crying out for justice and for safety. We will find Jesus huddled close to a space heater with a family of five because it is the only source of heat in their entire house.

The story of the wise men is much more radical than first meets the eye. It's just that we have romanticized this story and whitewashed its details. We have filled it with kids in bathrobes and fake beards or silent statues looking down blissfully at the Christ child. Let's keep our eyes wide open this Epiphany season and look for the many places the Christ Child appears among the "least of these" in our world."

Character Flaws

2012-01-04T17:31:00.003-05:00

"Your nature is a hard thing to change; it takes time. One of the extraordinary transferences that happen in your spiritual life is not that your character flaws go away but they start to work for you. A negative become a positive: you've a big mouth; you end up a singer. You're insecure; you end up a performer who needs applause." -- Bono, "U2 By U2"

What are your character flaws? What are those things about yourself that drive you absolutely crazy? Perhaps you made a New Year's resolution to rid yourself of these things but, consider for a moment, that God might be able to use your weak points to accomplish great things. St. Paul put it this ways in 1 Corinthians 1:27-28, "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are."

As a gay man who is also a pastor, some people perceive that my being gay is a big handicap that prevents me from being an effective pastor. Even when I first got into ministry I saw my sexuality as a flaw and wished there was some way I could have gotten rid of it. Now, many years later, I realize that my being gay is my best gift for pastoral ministry. I know what it feels like to be an "outsider" and so I welcome God's lost lambs with open arms. I have a big soft spot for those whom traditional churches have rejected and I don't know if I would have this if I were straight.

So, what character flaw do you possess that drives you crazy? Instead of trying to get rid of it, perhaps you and God can find a way to turn it into your greatest asset in 2012.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T17:19:00.002-05:00

What lies before us and what lies behind us

Are small matters compared to what lies within us.

And when we bring what is within out into the world,

Miracles happen -- Henry David Thoreau

No more resolutions, people! Everyone makes them, but nobody keeps them. Instead, let us take Thoreau’s advice and try each day to shine the light that is within us outward. No more regretting what happened in the past. No more worrying and fretting about the future. Let us live fully in this present moment and trust that God will use LGBT people of faith to bring about justice and compassion and healing in the New Year. Sounds like a good plan to me!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-22T22:17:00.001-05:00

Me & Gary at Mayfels, a local restaurant.

I wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Here's hoping we can learn to love one another a little bit more, cultivate a spirit of kindness when we dialogue with those who are different from us, and come to the realization that we are all children of God, no matter what letter of the alphabet we attach to ourselves. Peace! [I'll be posting again in the new year.]

Joseph & Mary: Caretakers of the Gift of Love

2011-12-20T07:16:00.001-05:00

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. [Luke 2:1-6, NRSV]

Maybe you don't identify with any of the characters I've mentioned already [see previous posts]. Perhaps it is the story of Mary and Joseph that most captures your heart. If this is the case, then you are the kind of people whom I call CARETAKERS OF THE GIFT OF LOVE. You understand and embody the magnificent word "incarnation." You can see God, not only as the almighty creator of the universe, but also as a baby who needs his diaper to be changed. You can hear the otherworldly song of the angels, but your ears are also attuned to the cry of an infant.

Those who identify most strongly with Joseph and Mary are often parents who have the awesome responsibility of raising a child in a sometimes difficult and challenging world. There are a number of folks in the LGBT community who fall into this category and have decided to raise children through adoption or artificial insemination. You know what it means to be responsible for that child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can only imagine what Mary and Joseph must have gone through as they tried to raise their little boy.

Those who identify most strongly with Joseph and Mary are CARETAKERS OF THE GIFT OF LOVE. They have shown us that "family" has nothing to do with blood but everything to do with love. They challenge all of us, gay and straight, to form relationships that are nurturing, committed and lasting. They give us all something to aspire to whether we choose to have children or not, and remind us that the bonds of relationship we have with each other are far more precious than any material gifts we can give to one another.

Magi: Star Gazers, Followers of the Light

2011-12-19T07:11:00.001-05:00

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." [Matthew 2:1-2, NRSV]

Maybe you don't identify with the story of the angel or the shepherds [see previous posts]. Perhaps it is the story of the Magi that fills your heart with joy. Those who identify most strongly with the Magi are people whom I call STAR GAZERS. I mean this in every good and wonderful sense of the word! Contrary to the popular hymn "We Three Kings" most of us realize that the Magi were not kings, but were astronomers and astrologers; followers of the stars. It is they who discerned Jesus birth from afar. It is they who undertook great personal sacrifice to reach him, crossing the desert, facing a menacing King Herod, and finally reaching their longed-for destination.

To me the Magi represent the faithful disciples of Jesus who have been following the light for quite some time. They are STAR GAZERS who sacrifice their time, talent, and treasure; giving their very best for the sake of the Christ Child. There are a number of us in the LGBT community who fall in this category. We have been faithful followers of Jesus, even when the church told us we were not welcome. We continued to serve as pastors, church musicians, and leaders in the church even if we had to do so quietly. Increasingly, however, our lights have been able to shine more brightly thanks to gay friendly churches and denominations such as the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. If you identify strongly with the Magi, I hope you will continue to not only follow the light but also call the LGBT community to join us on the journey. It is one of the reasons why I write this blog.

If you identify most strongly with the Magi, I have good news for you as well: You are welcome at the manger, too! You, the faithful followers of the light, are welcome to join the outcast shepherds in hearing the angels' song, holding the Christ Child in your arms, and singing him a song fit for kings: "Oh, come, let us adore him. Oh, come, let us adore him. Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Shepherds: Welcomed Outcasts

2011-12-16T07:08:00.002-05:00

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. [Luke 2:15-18, NRSV]

Maybe you don't identify with the angel [see Friday's posting]. Perhaps this time of year leaves you feeling like you're outside of the circle; slightly detached from the events and festivities happening around you. If this is the case then you probably identify most strongly with the shepherds. Shepherds, as many of you know were considered to be heathens and rogues, outcasts in first century Jewish society. It was not considered to be a noble profession.

Part of the reason for this is that shepherds, because of the kind of work they did, were unable to fulfill all the requirements of the Jewish Law. They had to work on the Sabbath. They could not always follow all the ritual purities of the day. Therefore, shepherds were considered to be people outside of the religious circle; heathens and outcasts.

Placing this in a modern context those who identify most strongly with the shepherds are those who feel like outcasts in church and society; people who don't always fit the mold of what others think they should be; people who feel somewhat detached from others for a host of different reasons. Needless to say, there are many in the LGBT community who feel or have felt this way because they have been rejected by their church, their families or both.

If you identify most strongly with the shepherds, I have some good news for you. The shepherds were Jesus' first worshiping community. The heathens and the outcasts were the first to hear the angel's song and run into Bethlehem to find the babe lying in a manger. It wasn't the kings and societal elite. It wasn't the upstanding, synagogue-going religious folks. It was the shepherds who first worshipped our Lord

This is most certainly good news indeed. It reminds us that everyone is welcome at the manger. No matter who we think is worthy to receive God's good news, it is offered to all. Everyone is welcome to see the babe; to hold the Christ Child in their arms, and sing him a sweet lullaby. This is what the shepherds' story tells us. It is most certainly good news for outcasts like you and me.

Angels: Joy Bringers

2011-12-15T07:31:00.001-05:00

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus." [Luke 1:26-31, NRSV]

This coming Sunday, my congregation does its annual Crèche service where we do a series of readings and carols that take us through the story of the birth of Jesus. Along the way we place the figures of the story on the altar until everyone is assembled. It is one of my favorite worship services of the year.

Over the next few days I'd like to offer a few meditations on the players in this divine drama and see how they speak to us today. Perhaps you identify most strongly with the angel in the Christmas story. If this is the case then you are what I would call a JOY BRINGER. You are the kind of person who, during this holiday season, has holly growing out of their ears and mistletoe in their hearts! You know a JOY BRINGER in a second. Their presence lights up a room.. They are quick to share a hug, sing a carol or make a special handmade gift, Those who identify most strongly with the angel realize that in the midst of the craziness of this holiday season only one thing really matters: The birth of Jesus Christ. It is this knowledge that fills them with great joy and keeps them focused on what's really important this holiday season.

The LGBT community has more than its fair share of joy bringers. Our creative community keeps this holiday sparkling bright! Do you think Paula Dean or Martha Stewart can pull things off without a few gays helping them long the way? I think not! Our world is in short supply of JOY BRINGERS so if this is your gift, don't be afraid to shine. It's true, there is much darkness in our world. I see it all the time in my work as a hospital chaplain. But we angels need to keep reminding people that there is something to celebrate this season no matter how difficult life may seem.

As a side note you might find it interesting to know that the Greek word for evangelism is "euaggelion." The root of this word is "aggel" which means "angel" in English. Thus angels are evangelists who proclaim the Good New of Jesus' birth to all who would hear their song: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will to all"

Family Gatherings: Love 'Em or Hate 'Em?

2011-12-14T11:29:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year...ARGH! Time for all of us to visit those folks we sometimes don't want to see: family! Needless to say, for a number of LGBT people spending time with their biological relatives at Christmas is not exactly their idea of having a good time. Some couples are forced to sleep in separate beds. Others are dis-invited altogether. Some couples spend the holiday apart from each other and visit their families separately. What's a queer couple to do?

Well, I can only share from my experience. From the very beginning of our relationship, Gary & I didn't give either of our families the option of treating us as anything but equal to other family units. Things were fine with my family for the most part. However, Gary's family is Southern Baptist and we had a rough road to travel...for a while. The first Christmas I showed up it didn't seem to be a problem. They probably figured it was just a phase and Gary would grow out of it. However, after I started showing up for the third and fourth Christmas [we're on our 18th now!] tensions began to mount. It was apparent I was not going away any time soon so they'd have to deal with me!

Long story short, tensions became so unbearable that we let his family know that we loved them but if this is the way they were going to treat us, we'd opt out of family gatherings altogether and visit them as individuals instead.

Believe it or not, this was the turning point in the story. His sister basically read the rest of the family the riot act and, slowly, things began to improve. His brother also hand built us a porch swing and gave it to us one Christmas which was a symbol of his support for both of us. These days, I feel as much a part of Gary's family as any other brother-in-law.

I guess the point of my story is that sometimes we have to be very patient with our families. Many of us have had years to struggle with the issue of our sexuality. Our families need time to sort through their feelings as well. I know that not everyone out there will have a happy ending. But, if we love our families long enough some of them might surprise us!

P.S. For those of you out there for whom family gatherings are not an option, remember that all of us can create our own sense of family. We can surround ourselves with people who love and support us unconditionally. So, here's hoping you find "family" this Christmas season. It's really not the same without them.

Make the Yuletide Gay

2011-12-12T07:22:00.001-05:00

This is one of my new annual holiday traditions: Watch the move "Make the Yuletide Gay." My husband and I first rented it through Netflix and ended up watching the movie twice. I then bought my own copy of it to support those who made the film. So, how is the first gay-themed Christmas movie? Well...it's quite good. The good news lies in the performances of the two male leads, Keith Jordan and Adamo Ruggiero, whose scenes together are well acted and believable. The soundtrack is also sweet, especially the songs by Jake Monaco and Jen Hansen that have a genuine warmth and joy to them.

The further good news is that the movie deals with a number of situations gay boys find themselves in while going home for the holidays: deciding if and when to come out to parents, enduring our parents trying to fix us up with a girl, censoring our conversation and how much affection we show our significant other. There is much to laugh and cry about here. Most of us will see ourselves in at least one scene portrayed in this movie.

Kudos to the cinematographer as well. "Make the Yuletide Gay" looks really beautiful with its skillful use of the bright, vivid coors of the holiday season. This film has a "visual warmth" to it that is cozy and inviting to the viewer.

The bad news lies in the peripheral characters who come across like caricatures of real people. [Olaf's parents.] With a better script, this movie could have gone much deeper than it did. The acting talents of Alison Arngrim [OMG, Nellie from Little House on the Prairie] and Gates McFadden [Star Trek: The Next Generation] are wasted here as well.

Overall, the good news far outweighs the bad news. "Make the Yuletide Gay" is a sweet film with lots of heart. It's now a welcome addition to my yearly Christmas celebration.

John the Baptist, Part Three

2011-12-09T06:46:00.001-05:00

"Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." [John 3:4b-6, NRSV]

Finally, the third thing we learn from the person and message of John the Baptist is preparing the way of the Lord means we are called to challenge existing power structures and patterns of behavior in our world so that mountains of greed may be leveled and valleys of despair may be filled. This was the core message of John the Baptist. All four gospel writers agree on this detail. Each of them has John quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah which are a call to do justice in our world. It is a call from the outsiders to challenge the powers that be in both church and society to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

As LGBT people of faith the challenge is to be justice-makers not only for our community, but for other oppressed people as well. We have to take the time to discover what others issues we are passionate about. Some of us care deeply for the homeless and hungry. Others are concerned about immigration and health care reform. We must broaden our scope and become agents of change for all of God's people. They may care more for us if they know we care passionately for them.

John the Baptist, Part Two

2011-12-08T18:45:00.002-05:00

And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." [John 3:10-14, NRSV]

The second thing we learn from the person and message of John the Baptist is that comfort often gets in the way of living a prophetic life. John's ministry was conducted in the wilderness. In ancient times, many people saw the wilderness as a dangerous and lonely place; isolated from the comforts of civilization, vulnerable to the violence of others. Being a member of the Qumran community, among a people known as the Essenes, John lived a simple, monastic lifestyle that was quite different from the world around him: His clothes were a simple camel's hair tunic with a leather cord wrapped around his waist. His diet was locust beans and wild honey which is the better rendering of the gospel texts. Locust beans were the diet of desert Bedouin monks who were not bug eaters as we might think but vegetarians. Being an Essene, John also had no possessions of his own. Whatever resources were at his disposal were owned by the community. In this simple lifestyle John was able to devote his life to the work of God.

If John the Baptist teaches us anything, I hope it is that simplicity, conservation and sharing are good things. Sometimes our possessions can possess us. Sometimes our need for comfort and security can be a hindrance in our relationship with God and our relationship to the world. It doesn't matter whether you're gay or straight, We Americans are all a bit materialistic and need to become better stewards of all that God has given us. Perhaps the best thing we can do this Advent season is to follow John's example and simply our lives a bit. It's also important that we look beyond the gift lists of our friends and families and turn our attention to the needs of the impoverished and homeless. These are the best ways to "make room" for the Christ Child to dwell more fully in our lives.

John the Baptist, Part One

2011-12-07T10:03:00.000-05:00

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" [Luke 3:1-4, NRSV]

This past Sunday, the Second Sunday of Advent, we found ourselves immersed in the world of John the Baptist. It is a strange and foreign world to us that is far removed from our cell phones, iPods, Blackberries, E-mails and 24 hour news coverage on CNN. John's world is a much simpler one with clothing made of itchy camel's hair and locusts and wild honey for breakfast. It is a world of wilderness living and people being dunked in the Jordan River with a solitary voice crying out "Prepare the way of the Lord,; make his paths straight"

What do we make of this strange and unusual world that is so far removed from our experience? Can the person and message of John the Baptist still speak to us even though we are far removed from it by both culture and centuries of time?

Over the next couple of days I'd like to offer a few observations about John the Baptist. The first is that the Word of God rarely comes from the establishment. The Word of God comes from outsiders. As Luke introduces the story of John's ministry, he goes out of his way to place John in the midst of the movers and shakers of both church and society. He lists emperors, governors, rulers, and high priests. These are the power people. These are the ones who are in charge of keeping the machinery of church and society humming along They represent the establishment, the status quo.

And yet, Luke tells us that the word of God does not come through these people. The Word of God comes through "John son of Zechariah in the wilderness." John, most likely, was a member of the Qumran community. They were desert people. Monks who lived in community with one another and shared everything in common. They were outsiders who lived on the fringes of society and viewed society from that perspective. Luke tells us that the Word of God came to John, one of these outsiders. It did not come from the movers and shakers of church or society.

My queer brothers and sisters, this is most certainly good news for us who often feel like outsiders. Our gift is that of perspective. Because we are outsiders we see things differently and are able to offer insightful commentary on the injustices of our society that make many people feel excluded and discriminated against. LGBT people of faith also have a prophetic word to offer the Church that is often more interested in maintaining the status quo than being a radical voice for change in our world. Perhaps we have more in common with John the Baptist than we may first realize!

Sunday Sermon - Psalm 85

2011-12-05T16:58:00.000-05:00

2 Advent B Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 David Eck

12/04/11

I. Last week's psalm was a psalm of lament

---Whose sad refrain echoes in our ears

---And resonates in our hearts:

---"Our tears are the only thing that feeds us these days."

---The Psalmist prays "Our cup overflows with sorrow." [Ps 80:5]

The central image in this psalm is a vineyard

---That was once safe and secure

---But now feels like it has been pulled up by its roots

---And is vulnerable to attacks from wild animals.

This vineyard is symbolic of the times

---When we feel uprooted and vulnerable,

---Open to attack from within and without.

This psalm, however, ends on a hopeful note

---With a refrain that becomes our Advent prayer:

---"God, draw us closer to you,

---Smile on us once again.

---Show us your kindness and keep us safe

---Within your love." [Ps 80:7]

Now, in today's Psalm, God promises to act.

---God promises that our Advent lament

---Will soon be over.

God is at work, even as we speak,

---Sowing seeds in our spiritual garden

---That will produce a bumper crop

---Of lovingkindness and trustworthiness,

---Of equity and peace,

---Of fidelity and justice [Ps 85:10-11]

Psalm 85 is a hopeful Psalm

---That speaks of transformation and regeneration.

---It is a Psalm that fits in well

---With our first lesson and gospel

---That also speak of God on the move:

Valleys are being filled in,

---Mountains and hills are history,

---Uneven ground is being smoothed out,

---Rocks are being cleared away.

It sounds like a construction project to me!

---A "holy highway" as the prophet Isaiah declares,

---That is fit for our God to travel on. [Is. 40:3]

John the Baptist echoes Isaiah's words

---Pleading with the people to

---"Prepare the way of the Lord,

---Make his paths straight." [Mk 1:3]

But we can also look at this construction project

---As yet another image for a garden

---Where God is at work, tilling the soil,

---Getting it ready for seeds to be planted.

Isaiah hints at this gardening imagery

---In the verses that follow his initial declaration

---Of a highway for God to travel on.

He says that the garden God is planting is the Word.

---Other crops will fail and falter,

---People will disappoint us and let us down,

---Grass will wither, flowers will fade,

---But God's Word is the one sure crop we can count on. [Is 40:6-8]

Therefore, it leads me to believe

---That Isaiah had gardening on his mind

---More than a road construction project

---When he wrote the words of our First Lesson!

We're going to go with this gardening imagery,

---Both from Isaiah and Psalm 85,

---And see where it takes us this second week of Advent.

II. The first place I'd like to stop is Word War I.

---This might seem like an unlikely place to venture

---But during this time period the concept

---Of a "victory garden" was born.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term

---Victory gardens, also called "war gardens or "food gardens for defense,"

---Were vegetable, fruit and herb gardens.

---They were planted at private residences and public parks

---In the US, UK, Canada and Germany during World War I and II.

Their purpose was to reduce the pressure on the public food supply

---Brought on by the war effort.

In addition to indirectly aiding the war, these gardens

---Were also considered a civil "morale booster."

---Gardeners could feel empowered

---By their contribution of labor

---And be rewarded by the produce grown.

This made victory gardens

---Become a part of daily life on the home front.

III. In March 1917, Charles Pack

---Organized the National War Garden Commission

---And launched the war garden campaign.

During World War I, food production had fallen dramatically,

---Especially in Europe, where agricultural laborers

---Had been recruited into military service

---And remaining farms were devastated by the conflict.

Pack conceived the idea that the supply of food

---Could be greatly increased without the use

---Of land and manpower already engaged in agriculture,

---And without the significant use of transportation facilities

---Needed for the war effort.

The campaign promoted the cultivation of available private and public lands,

---Resulting in over five million gardens

---And foodstuff production exceeding $1.2 billion by the end of the war.

Eleanor Roosevelt even planted a victory garden

---On the White House grounds

---To show her solidarity with the rest of the nation.

Victory gardens were planted in backyards

---And on apartment-building rooftops,

---With the occasional vacant lot "commandeered for the war effort!"

---And put to use as a cornfield or a squash patch.

During World War II, victory gardens appeared again.

---Including large public gardens in Hyde Park in London

---Riverside in New York City

---And San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

Thus the victory garden became an important symbol of the war effort.

---It was something that everyone could do

---From the youngest to the oldest.

---You didn't even need to have a big piece of land

---To grow a victory garden.

---Any small patch of soil could do just fine.

---You could even grow a victory garden in a pot

---That sat on the fire escape of your apartment.

IV. The reason why I bring up the victory garden this morning

---Should be rather obvious by now.

I believe God desires to grow a victory garden in us.

---Let's be honest, sometimes life feels like a war.

---We find ourselves fighting an unstable economy,

---Shrinking paychecks and diminishing retirement benefits.

Any of us who has faced or is facing a serious illness

---Knows that this is the greatest war department of them all

---As we fight for health and wellness.

Sometimes our relationships with family and friends

---Feel like we're fighting a war.

---Then there are the challenges of our daily lives

---Such as school, our jobs,

---Or simply trying to figure out

---How we're going to pay the bills this month.

Life can sometimes feel like a war

---As we make our way through valleys of despair

---And mountains of problems.

Life can sometimes feel like a war

---With it's ups and downs,

---Roadblocks and obstacles.

However, the good news we hear this morning

---From our Psalm and the prophet Isaiah,

---Is that God desires to plant a victory garden in us.

This victory garden will help us with the "war effort" of life

---And sustain us through all the battles we will face.

God promises to be the farmhand who will

---Fill in all the valleys and level the hills.

God promises to smooth out the uneven ground

---And remove any rocks that stand in our way.

God also promises to plant a victory garden in our lives.

---The list of seeds planted in this garden is a glorious one!

They include God's Word,

---Which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

They include lovingkindness and trustworthiness,

---Equity and peace,

---Fidelity and justice [Ps 85:10-11]

V. Brothers and sisters in Christ

---This is most certainly good news indeed!

In the midst of our Advent lament and feelings of loss

---It is the promise of hope we need to hear.

God is on the move.

---God is tilling the soil.

---God is planting seeds

---In our lives and in our world.

Often times this is done

---Without any help from us whatsoever.

---It is God's gift of grace to us.

However, we can also help with the "war effort."

---We can do a bit of soil preparation ourselves

---So that a bountiful harvest is insured.

How do we do this?

---Well there are many ways we can answer this question.

---This morning I'd like to answer the question

---By focusing on this particular season we find ourselves in.

Black Friday was literally a war

---As people pepper sprayed each other,

---Used fists and elbows, guns,

---And even trampled one another,

---In order to get their hands on the latest piece of electronic crap

---That will find its way into a landfill in a few years.

Does this strike you as horrifying?

---Does this strike you as a nation with a weird set of priorities?

One of the ways people of faith

---Can begin to plant a victory garden this season,

---Is by distancing ourselves from the materialistic machine

---Our nation has become

We can opt for simpler celebrations

---We can focus on family and friends

---On giving simpler gifts

---And also giving to those who are in need

We can take back Christmas

---And celebrate it in a way

---That I think Jesus would prefer.

Another way we can begin to plant a victory garden

---Is by spending time with the Word and in worship.

---Isaiah got this one right:

---The grass withers, the flower fades,

---But God's Word lasts forever.

Mountains of plastic stuff quickly finds their way to a yard sale,

---Electronic equipment either breaks or becomes outdated;

---But faith, love, family, friends,

---These are the things that make life worth living.

Therefore, in order to help with the "war effort"

---We need to be intentional in developing our spiritual life.

We need to be as dedicated to growing our faith,

---As those crazed Black Friday shoppers are

---In trying to find a bargain.

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

---This can truly be a season of peace on earth

---And good will to all people,

---But this won't happen without any effort on our part.

Let us all take the time this December

---To begin tilling the soil of our lives

---So that God can plant a wonderful victory garden in our midst.

Let us choose to define this holiday differently

---Than the rest of the world,

---Distancing ourselves from the consumer machine

---And plugging ourselves into the work that God is doing,

---To prepare a highway for the Christ Child to travel on. Amen.

----------

Psalm 85:1-2, 9-13

Refrain: God, plant a garden in our land where peace and justice grow.

L: God of Abundance, you blessed Israel

And returned the exiles to their homeland.

C: You forgave the disobedience of your people

And covered all their sins. R.

L: Therefore, we will listen carefully

To what you are saying, Almighty One.

C: Your voice speaks a word of peace to those who follow you;

Wholeness and happiness to those who remain faithful

And do not return to their foolish ways. R.

L: Your saving power is near those who worship you;

Your glorious presence takes up residence in their land.

C: Lovingkindness and trustworthiness are bosom buddies;

Equity and peace embrace each other. R.

L: Fidelity sprouts and yields a bumper crop;

Justice rains down from heaven.

C: The Lord of the Harvest grows

A garden of good things in their land.

The yield is unimaginable.

L: God's virtue and justice lead the way,

Clearing a path for us to follow. R.

Reading the Signs

2011-12-02T07:01:00.000-05:00

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the wind and waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." [Luke 21:25-26]

In a society where Black Friday and Cyber Monday grab all the headlines, the themes of Advent get lost in the shuffle. Let’s face it, Advent is not very marketable from a retail perspective. Take, for instance, Luke 21:25-26 where Jesus is recorded as saying, "People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Earlier in the chapter Jesus also says that "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues." Doesn't exactly put you in the mood for shopping, does it?

The context of these verses is Jesus' second coming. To be honest with you, it's a subject that holds little interest to me. I know some Christians salivate over Bible prophecy but I'm the kind of person who tries to live fully and faithfully in the present moment. What happens, happens. It's out of my control so I don't give it much energy.

However, the text is before us and there are some who believe that we are, indeed, living in the end times. They believe the signs are all around us both in nature and between nations. Personally, I'm not sure that this is true. People of faith across the centuries have also believed that the end was near. They thought they were reading the signs correctly and yet the second coming of Christ did not occur

What I know for sure is that we have a choice as to how we will react as we read the signs that cause us to be worried and anxious. We can crowd our lives with fear and hostility. We can let the darkness crush our spirits. Or we can make room in our lives for Christ to dwell in our midst. We can transform our signs of darkness into light, our signs of fear into hope, and our signs of hostility into peace.

Those of us in the LGBT community definitely have our fair share of things that cause us to be fearful. There are people who have us with every fiber of their being. There are institutions that continue to oppress and discriminate against us. This "most wonderful time of the year" is not so wonderful for those who are estranged from their families. Because of this, it is vital that we make room in our lives for the Christ Child to dwell and fill us with love, hope, peace and joy. As someone who is finally out in every area of my life, I have let go of many fears I once had. It has been a transformative experience and I feel closer to God and more centered than ever before.

So, my prayer for all of us is that we will enter deeply into the themes of the Advent season and use this time to let go of those things that cause us to be fearful and embrace all that the Christ Child has to offer us.

Signs of Endings

2011-12-01T11:18:00.001-05:00

Signs of endings all around us, darkness, death and winter days

Shroud our lives in fear and sadness, numbing mouths that long to praise

Come, O Christ, and dwell among us! Hear our cries, come set us free

Give us hope and faith and gladness. Show us what there yet can me

[from the Episcopal hymnal "Wonder, Love and Praise"]

This may seem like a pretty depressing Advent hymn but I find it immensely hopeful. My congregation sings it to the folk tune "Beech Spring," i.e. "Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service." For me the lyrics remind us that winter is typically a season of endings. However, it is also the birth of new beginnings when Christ is present in our midst.

This message, which is so prevalent during the season of Advent, is important for LGBT people of faith to remember. Many of us have experienced lots of endings in our lives: the end of relationships when we were rejected because of our sexuality; the end of a job because of bigotry in the workplace; the end of open doors and opportunities that come with being heterosexual. These are just some of the endings LGBT people experience.

The good news is that Christ is at work in our world and in our lives preparing the way for new life and new beginnings to emerge. As some relationships end, new ones form and even some old ones are healed. Hostile work environments can be replaced by employers who treat everyone with equality and respect. As we turn away from closed doors, new ones appear that we never even saw before.

This Advent, I pray we will all keep our eyes wide open, looking for Christ who comes into our lives bringing hope and faith and gladness, opening doors to new life and new possibilities.

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel

2011-11-29T16:30:00.000-05:00

Oh, come, oh, come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel

This week we begin the celebration of my favorite season of the church year: Advent. Advent contains within it a sense of longing for something that has not yet come to fruition. A longing for Emmanuel to come and dwell in our midst. A longing for love, hope, peace and joy to be birthed in our lives.

With this theme in mind, we ask oursevles a simple question: What do we long for? What makes us feel like lonely exiles? I know this time of year is difficult for many people. It is not "the most wonderful time of the year" for everyone. As we begin our Advent journey it is important that we name our longings. It's important that we identify the losses we feel so that we can begin the process of letting go of some of them. Without the letting go, our spiritual houses are way too crowded for Christ's loving presence to be birthed in our midst. Therefore, we should think of Advent as a "spiritual garage sale" where we begin to sort through and get rid of the sadness, pain, fear and worry that makes this a less than joyful season.

Sunday Sermon - Psalm 80

2011-11-28T16:43:00.000-05:00

1 ADVENT B Psalm 80 David Eck

11/27/11

I. As we begin our journey through the season of Advent

---We're going to be looking at

---The appointed Psalm texts for the season.

This is going to be our window

---Through which we understand the significance

---Of the birth of our Savior

---And how we prepare for his coming.

Today's psalm is Psalm 80

---Which was one of the earliest psalms I translated

---For an upcoming recording project entitled "The Psalms: Remixed."

The members of Abiding Savior

---Have been my "guinea pigs" for this project

---Over the past three years.

I appreciate your willingness to journey with me

---Through these powerful texts.

My versions of the psalms are paraphrases

---Where I look at the original Hebrew with the eyes of a poet

---As well as the eyes of a scholar.

I look for poetic connections

---Which are not always obvious at first glance.

---I also try to find the best modern language

---That helps to convey what the psalmist is trying to tell us.

For example, Psalm 133 says that when kindred dwell in unity

---Is is like "the precious oil on the head,

---Running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron,

---Running down over the collar of his robes."

The first questions I asked about this Psalm were

---1) Who is Aaron?

---2) What does all this running oil mean?

After looking at the original Hebrew of the text,

---And researching a little bit of history,

---I translated this verse as follows

---"It's like fragrant oil that anoints the head and flows down the body,

---Bringing holiness and blessing to everyone."

My goal is not a literal translation

---But a paraphrase that helps us

---To enter into the psalms more deeply

---And understand their meaning for modern believers.

I have 30 psalms translated so far

---Over a period three years.

---It's a slow process but an enjoyable one nonetheless.

---It has been a part of my personal devotional time

---And has given me a profound appreciation

---For these beautiful texts.

II. Well that's enough about the process.

---Let's jump into Psalm 80 and see how it speaks to us

---At the beginning of the Advent season.

The central image in this psalm

---Is a transplanted vineyard,

---And the vineyard is not doing too well.

The emotional feeling this psalm conveys

---Is that Israel was once in a place

---Where it felt safe and protected,

---But that's not the case anymore.

---It now feels vulnerable and open to attack.

The desperation the psalmist feels is seen so clearly

---In verse 4-6 where he says

---"God of Mercy, are you angry with us?

---Do you not hear our prayers?

---Our tears are the only thing that feeds us these days.

---Our cup overflows with sorrow.

---It feels like we're fighting with everyone.

---We are a joke among those who wish to do us harm."

WOW! That sounds like a desperate place to live in.

---But we've all been there.

---Some of us are there right now.

We've all wondered a time or two

---If God was angry with us.

---We've all let like our prayers

---Were falling on deaf ears.

Therefore, we can relate to the lament of the psalmist.

---It is a lament that is front and center in the Advent season.

We hear it in the familiar opening verse

---Of a much beloved Advent hymn:

---"O Come, O come, Emmanuel,

---And ransom captive Israel

---That mourns in lonely exile here

---Until the Son of God appear."

The emotional context of this lament

---Is a feeling of loss, a feeling of being disconnected from something.

---It is a place of darkness

---Rather than a place of light.

---It is a place of longing for something better,

---A life preserver, a rescue squad,

---Anything that can lift us up

---From the "miry clay," as Psalm 40 puts it,

---And "set your feet upon solid rock."

III. Brothers and sisters in Christ,

---This is what Advent is all about.

---And if we rush too quickly toward Christmas

---We might very well miss out

---On the emotion conveyed in this important season

---In the life of the church.

This would be a great loss,

---Because many of us can identify

---With where the Psalmist is coming from.

Like the vineyard, we feel a bit uprooted or displaced.

---With an uncertain economy and shrinking incomes.

---We feel unprotected, ravaged by wild beasts of all sorts.

We've experience loss of jobs, loss of loved ones,

---And loss of health which leads us to lament:

---"Our tears are the only thing that feeds us these days.

---"Our cup overflows with sorrow."

We get stressed by the increasing commercialization of Christmas

---That has no room of Jesus

---Amidst the retail frenzy our nation has become.

Even some of our Christmas carols have been hijacked.

---Recently an increasing number of commercials on TV

---Have taken carols that used to proclaim peace of peace on earth,

---But now plead with us to buy more stuff.

God, have mercy on us all.

---Is it any wonder that this particular Advent season

---Makes us feel a little bit displaced?

---We feel like someone has pulled us up by the roots.

---We long for a place where

---Where we can be nurtured, once again;

---A place where the good soil of God's love

---Produces in us a bumper crop of blessing.

Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel,

---And ransom captive Israel, indeed!

IV. There's no doubt about it

---Psalm 80 is grounded in lament.

However, it does not leave us hanging there

---With our roots exposed

---And our branches vulnerable to predators.

It turns itself into a prayer.

---"Hear our prayer, Great Shepherd," the psalmist pleads.

---"You have kept an eye on your flock

---Since the time of Abraham and Sarah.

---Ruler of the Universe, light the way for us,

---Be strong for us, and deliver us from danger!"

The NRSV pleads "shine forth"…

---"Stir up your might, and come to save us!"

In this season of light, the Psalmists' cry

---Is echoed in the words of a familiar benediction:

---"The Lord bless you and keep you

---The Lord make his face to shine upon you

---And be gracious to you."

The Hebrew here can be best described

---As God smiling on us

---With love, with favor, with blessing.

Thus the prayer of this psalm is that God

---Will "tend the vineyard, once again."

---It asks God to "take care of what which you have planted

---And restore us to our former glory."

This is our Advent hope in the midst of Advent lament.

While the refrain I wrote for this particular psalm

---Is based primarily on verse 7,

---It expands the hope expressed in the entire psalm:

"God, draw us closer to you;

---Smile on us once again.

---Show us your kindness and keep us safe

---Within your love."

Oh, brothers in sisters in Christ

---We are fortunate because we know the end of the story!

---We know that the darkness of Advent

---Does not last forever!

We who sometimes walk in darkness

---Have seen a great light.

---Unto us a child has been born,

---Unto us a Son has been given.

---Authority rests on his shoulders.

---And his name is Wonderful Counselor,

---Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

---Prince of Peace." [Isaiah 9:2,6]

The Hebrew peace expressed here

---Is not merely the absence of tension.

---It is shalom, wholeness, health and prosperity.

It is fertile soil where our vineyard roots

---Grow big and strong.

---It is a feeling of safety and protection;

---Because if God is for us

---Who or what can be against us?

Advent lament gives birth to Christmas hope.

---The hope that Jesus, our Emmanuel,

---Truly walks with us

---When tears are the only thing that feeds us,

---When our cups overflow with sorrow.

If we find ourselves identifying with the Psalmist's lament this morning

---It is my prayer that we will turn to Christ, the Light of the World,

---And trust that he will fulfill our prayer:

"God draw us closer to you; smile on us, once again.

---Show us your kindness and keep us safe within your love." AMEN.

----------

Here is the entire Psalm translation without the sung melody on the refrain:

REFRAIN: God, draw us closer to you; smile on us, once again.

Show us your kindness and and keep us safe within your love.

L: Hear our prayer, Great Shepherd.

You have kept an eye on your flock since the time of Abraham and Sarah.

C: Ruler of the Universe, light the way for us,

Be strong for us, and deliver us from danger! R.

L: God of Mercy, are you angry with us?

Do you not hear our prayers?

C: Our tears are the only thing that feeds us these days.

Our cup overflows with sorrow.

L: It feels like we're fighting with everyone.

We are a joke among those who wish to do us harm. R.

L: Master Gardener, we remember

How you transplanted the vine called Israel.

C: You carried it from Egypt all the way to the Promised Land.

You carefully prepared the soil there and planted it.

L: Israel took root and grew like kudzu.

It prospered and flourished

With deep roots and strong branches.

C: So why do we, your prized vineyard,

Now feel so vulnerable and unprotected?

Why do we feel like we've been ravaged by wild animals? R.

L: Mighty God, we pray that you

Would tend your vineyard, once again.

Take care of that which you have planted

And restore us to our former glory.

C: We promise to be faithful to you.

Breathe life back into our withered branches

And we will praise your name forever. R.

Give Thanks Always and in All Ways

2011-11-23T16:52:00.000-05:00

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you." [Phiippians 4:8-9, NRSV]

If there was ever a perfect text for Thanksgiving, this is it. Paul reminds us that the key to being peaceful people is to keep our eyes focused on the blessings that God has given us. I've always been a "glass is half full" kind of guy anyway so this text resonates with me big time. It's very easy for LGBT people of faith to focus on what is NOT going right. It's easy to focus on the hateful speech of those who would try to oppress and demean us. It's easy to focus on the family that has disinvited us from the Thanksgiving table and other holiday celebrations.

If this time of year is difficult for us, I suggest we follow Paul's advice and focus on the things in our lives that are worthy of praise. Sure, there are haters out there but there are more and more straight people willing to speak out for LGBT equality. Sure some of our families have been mean and hurtful to us but, hey, many of us have created our own families and have surrounded ourselves with positive, caring people who love us just the way we are. [Wouldn't you rather spend the holiday with them, anyway? It's a lot more fun.]

So my beloved cyber brothers and sisters, my hope and prayer is that all of us will keep our eyes focused on the things in our lives that are honorable, just, pure, pleasing and commendable. It's not only a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving. I't a wonderful way to live our lives and experience the peace and joy God desires for all of us.

Sunday Sermon - 10 Lepers

2011-11-21T10:35:00.000-05:00

THANKSGIVING "Luke 17:11-19" David Eck

11/20/11

I. Today's gospel lesson is the story

---Of Jesus healing the Ten Lepers.

---It is the appointed lectionary reading

---For Thanksgiving Day each year,

---As well as one Sunday in Year C

---Where we read through the gospel of Luke.

This particular story is unique to Luke

---Who had a heart for outsiders and outcasts.

---The story of the Ten Lepers fits in in well

---With Luke's understanding of Jesus.

There are many ways we can get at this text.

---One way I find particularly helpful

---Is to "try on" each of the characters

---In any given story and see how they "fit" us.

The connections we make with any particular character

---Tell us a great deal about our spiritual life,

---What's going on inside of us.

These connections also tell us something

---About about what resources we need

---To help us navigate whatever challenges

---Life is throwing at us at any given moment.

So, walk with me through the story of the Ten Lepers.

---Try each character on and see who fits you the best.

When we're though I hope that each of us

---Will gain some insight as to how we're doing,

---Both emotionally and spiritually,

---At the start of this holiday season.

II. The first character we need to "try on" is the leper.

---There are ten of them mentioned in the story

---But, chances are, there were more of them

---Cowering in the shadows,

---Unable to show their faces in the light of day.

Leprosy is something we don't encounter much these days

---Except when we read about it in the Bible.

The modern term for leprosy is Hansen's disease.

---95% of us are naturally immune to it.

---In 1995, the World Health Organization estimated

---That between 2 and 3 million people

---Were permanently disabled because of leprosy at that time.

Furthermore, in the past 20 years,

---15 million people worldwide have been cured of the disease.

You might also find it interesting to know

---That leper colonies still remain in countries such as

---India (where there are still more than 1,000 leper colonies),

---As well as China, Romania, Egypt,

---Somalia, Liberia, Vietnam and Japan.

But here in the United States, leprosy is a forgotten disease

---That's been confined to the pages of the Bible

---Or exists in a distant country we have no intention of visiting

---Any time in the near future.

This does not mean we cannot identify with the leper.

---In fact, we may have more in common with them

---Than we may first realize.

In Jesus' time, people were labeled as lepers

---For a number of reasons: Some of them had Hansen's Disease.

---Others had a variety of skin disorders such as

---Psoriasis or other non-contagious skin infections.

Because people in Jesus' time made a connection

---Between disease and sin,

---It was automatically assumed that a person got leprosy

---Because of the sins they or their parents had committed.

---God was punishing them for their transgressions.

Therefore, lepers were labeled as unclean.

---They were forbidden to have contact with family and friends.

---They were forced to live in leper colonies,

---Where living conditions were unimaginably horrible.

---They had to stay there until their leprosy was cured,

---Which rarely ever happened.

Armed with this understanding of leprosy,

---We might find these characters in our gospel lesson

---Fit us quite well.

III. Some of us know what it is like

---To be labeled as "unclean"

---By both church and society.

We've been treated like lepers

---Because of whom we choose to love,

---Because of illness or divorce,

---Because of what we believe in,

---Because people have judged us

---Without taking the time to get to know us.

Some of us know what it is like to be estranged

---From family and friends,

---With little or no hope for reconciliation.

Some of us have lived on the margins of society,

---Scaping by to make ends meet,

---Grateful for the smallest of kindness we receive

---From friends and strangers alike.

There may be more lepers among us than we can imagine.

---If it feels like this character fits us well this morning,

---There is hope and good news to share!

First of all, Jesus crossed several social and religious boundaries

---To ensure that the lepers felt loved by him.

Without going into much detail

---Jesus was in the region between Samaria and Galilee,

---A place no respectable rabbi was supposed to travel.

Jesus was also ministering to at least one Samaritan

---Which was another "no-no."

Furthermore, Jesus was interacting with lepers

---Which was the biggest taboo of them all.

---But Jesus didn't seem to care

---About these social and religious prohibitions.

He ignored them in order to make the lepers

---Feel welcomed and loved.

This was something they had not felt in a LONG time.

---I believe he does the same for us.

The second word of Good News is that

---Those who have felt like lepers,

---But have also been embraced by Jesus' love and mercy,

---Are some of the best ambassadors for Christ

---Our world has ever known.

Because we know what it is like to be rejected and estranged,

---We are less likely to treat others the same way.

Because we have been welcomed and embraced by Jesus,

---We feel compelled to welcome and embrace others.

It is a gift that the lepers among us need to celebrate

---And claim as our own.

The final word of Good News for the lepers among us

---Is that we also have the opportunity to receive a special blessing.

Ten lepers were healed, but only one returned to give thanks.

---Perhaps the lesson learned here

---Is that a grateful heart is a powerful thing.

If we've always felt like insiders

---We might not realize what a wonderful gift that is.

---However, if we've ever felt like a leper,

---We SHOULD have a deep appreciation for

---The people and places where we feel welcomed and loved.

In our gospel lesson 90% of the lepers miss this final blessing.

---Perhaps the story is told so that we improve on that percentage!

IV. The second characters we need to "try on" are Jesus' disciples.

---"But they're not in the story" you might respond.

---I would argue that they are in the story...Jesus NEVER traveled alone.

---In fact, no one traveled alone

---On the road between Samaria and Jerusalem.

The disciples are there. Trust me.

---They just don't want to get involved.

They are somewhere in the background

---Wishing they were somewhere else,

---Perhaps disapproving of Jesus' actions,

---Unwilling to cross those social and cultural barriers,

---Unwilling to get their hands dirty.

Often times we identify with the disciples in the gospel stories

---Because they are most like us.

---Common, ordinary working folk

---With a passion for following Christ.

But in this instance they are M.I.A.

---And we are left to ponder what this says about us

---As followers of Jesus.

Let's be honest, it's easier to be the church

---In the warmth and safety of this building.

---It's easier to be the church

---As we write a check to the ELCA Disaster Fund

---Or Food For Fairview.

Being the church in these places is important,

---But the real work and ministry of the church

---Is out there in the trenches.

We cannot read the gospels any other way.

---Jesus was always willing to roll up his sleeves,

---Pick up his towel and basin,

---And serve those in need.

If we find ourselves always standing in the shadows,

---Content to watch from the sidelines,

---Then should ask ourselves what's keeping us

---From joining Jesus among the lepers.

Are we afraid of what others might think?

---Does it make us nervous

---To venture into unfamiliar territory?

---Have we been conditioned to believe

---That it's wrong to associate with "those kinds of people?"

There are many reasons for standing in the shadows.

---But I believe that the same Jesus who welcomed the lepers

---Invites us disciples to "fish for all kinds of people"

---"To take up our cross and follow him."

It's quite clear where he goes in our gospel lesson.

---Are we, as his disciples, willing to follow?

V. The final character we need to try on is Jesus.

---For some of us, this is hard to do.

After all, Jesus was the Son of God.

---He performed miracles and healed people.

---He died on the cross and rose again.

Who do we dare compare ourselves to THAT?

Well, I think we do so humbly and reverently,

---Recognizing that we are called to walk where Jesus has walked.

---After all, he commanded us to follow him.

Therefore, at the very least, we can be his "intern."

---We can watch and learn.

---We can tag behind him like a kid brother or sister

---And try to imitate what he does.

If we identify with Jesus in our gospel lesson

---We need to be prepared to go way out of our comfort zones.

---We need to be prepared to be misunderstood

---And to be criticized by well intentioned people.

We need to have the faith that God's love knows no boundaries.

---Then we must be willing to cross those boundaries

---In order to bring love and healing to those who need it the most.

Jesus walks in some pretty risky territory in our gospel lesson.

---He's in a region

---Where good rabbis are not supposed to go.

---He's among a people

---That good rabbis are not supposed to associate with.

---He's reaching out with hope and healing

---To the most desperate of souls;

---Some of whom appreciate his efforts,

---Some of whom cannot bother to turn around and say "thank-you"

Jesus is where he is, and is doing what he is going,

---Because God's love leaves him no alternative.

---Jesus knows that no one lives outside the boundaries

---Of God's love, forgiveness and mercy.

Therefore, Jesus has no choice but to venture into forbidden territory,

---To love the most hopeless and helpless of people,

---And restore them to community:

---Community with God and community with their neighbor.

If we identify most strongly with Jesus this morning.

---It's a beautiful place to be, but it's not an easy place to be.

There is a cost to following Jesus.

---We may or may not be willing to pay it.

VI. So, as I bring my thoughts to a close this morning.

---I hope we will all walk closely with our gospel lesson this week.

---I hope we will try on each of the characters

---And see which one fits us the best.

---I hope we'll listen carefully and let this story challenge us

---With the life-transforming power of Jesus' love.

AMEN

The Bible Tells Me So

2011-11-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

It is important, first of all, to be aware of a fundamental issue that confronts anyone who seeks guidance from the Bible in matters of conduct. The issue, at base, is one's understanding of the nature and authority of the Bible. It is clear that the church has recognized the Bible as authoritative for its life and faith. Unfortunately, Christian people have not always agreed on how the Bible's authority should be understood, particularly in its concrete teachings about morality" --Victor Paul Furnish, "The Moral Teaching of Paul: Selected Issues"

It seems to me that if Christians would put as much energy into loving their neighbor as they do fighting about black ink spots on the pages of the Bible, our world would be in much better shape. [I'm certain that as I write this, the temperatures of some people reading it are shooting through the roof!] Yes the Bible is important but, as Harry Knox of the HRC says, "take it seriously, not literally."

It seems to me that Jesus got most angry with God's people when they fought over the fine points of the Law, while showing no justice, mercy and compassion toward their neighbor. "Woe to you Pharisees," Jesus said, "For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others." [Luke 11:42]

The mark of a true Christian is NOT what they believe about the Bible. The mark of a true Christian is how they shine the light of Christ's love, grace, forgiveness, compassion, etc. into the dark corners of our world. The old camp song is true: They'll know we are Christians by our love." It doesn't matter whether we are gay or straight or somewhere in-between. The song is still the same. Let's stop fighting with one another and start loving each other, in spite of our differences. Maybe then, the rest of the world will actually start paying attention to us for what we have to say.

Which Comes First? The Christian or the Gay?

2011-11-16T06:57:00.001-05:00

In the second chapter of "This Far By Grace: A Bishop's Journey Through Questions About Homosexuality" by J. Neil Alexander, the author tells a story about a "wonderful old curmudgeon" who was a member of his parish and "was against pretty much everything."

One day they found themselves discussing the subject of homosexuals in the church. At the time Alexander was still rigid in his convictions on the matter and expected the man to be in perfect agreement with him. The man told Alexander that he had thought long and hard about the subject and said that he believed that what upset most people in the church about homosexuals is that they thought of them as "homosexuals who were trying to act like Christians." In other words, they were homosexuals first, and Christians a distant second, at least. "If that's the way you understand it," he said, "then it is never going to be very comfortable for you." He said that it was important to know those friends as fellow believers, as Christians first, as fellow travelers who understand their sexual orientation to be secondary.

Alexander said that he never thought of it that way before. He commented that although he was still in the "negative column" with regards to the subject of homosexuality, this old man's wisdom had dealt a severe blow to the confidence he had in his position on the subject. [As the book develops, Alexander moves from exclusion of homosexuals to acceptance.]

That's pretty good wisdom! If we're going to win the battle for LGBT acceptance in all churches, somehow, we have to find a way to help people see our Christianity first and our sexuality second. This doesn't mean that our sexual orientation or identity is unimportant. It is very important. However, it is also another factor that divides us along with race, gender, social position, political affiliation, etc. Our faith in God is the only thing that unites us. Our love of Jesus is the only glue that can hold all of us together. We're going to disagree on a LOT of things. But, if we're going to get anywhere as the church of Jesus Christ, we've got to help people get beyond the labels and see everyone as a beloved child of God.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

2011-11-15T16:09:00.000-05:00

So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?...I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once!" [Numbers 11:11, 14-15, NRSV]

Moses and the Israelites found themselves in the midst of the desert and wondered how they would survive. God provided manna and water but soon afterward the whining began. People began to long for the "good old days" in Egypt where there was plenty of meat and vegetables to eat. [How quickly they forgot they were also slaves while living there!] Moses tried to deal with all their drama single-handedly and suffered burn out in the process.

God's solution was a simple one: "Delegate, Moses, Delegate!" Moses appointed seventy elders who shared the burden of ministering to the Israelites and I'm certain his stress level went way down afterwards.

How is your stress level these days? It's easy to become overcommitted, especially when there are so many worth causes that clamor for our attention. LGBT advocacy is hard work because there is always one more thing we can do to help the cause. The important lesson we learn from Moses is that we are not supposed to carry the entire weight of the queer world on our shoulders. We are meant to share the load with our brothers and sisters so that no one gets completely and totally fried. This is an especially difficult challenge for us tenderhearted folks but it is a lesson we must learn if we are going to consistently bring our A-game to the table.