Dear Family of Love,
Happy Keeping the Faith Friday Fearlessly without Fretting. We must start putting our prayers into action and strive to make this the world that God created it to be. We must take a stand against hatred and bigotry and begin to protect our brothers and sisters who may or may not be carbon copies or exact replicas of who we are. I'm not sure how everyone feels, but we need to stop having in social media the Hate of the Week Club. Hatred and discrimination doesn't get us anywhere. Etching dividing lines in the sand where there is written We / They or Us vs. Them isn't acceptable anymore. If we hope to make peace, heal the earth, and respect the dignity of every human being we must do it together and not on other sides of certain camps. In Galatians we are reminded time and time again that
28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
Here is what I posted on Facebook this evening to give you a backstory of the above.
Time to remind ourselves that we do not get to beat anyone up because of who they are. Bullying is not acceptable. We seem to have a new thing each week that I call Hate of the Week Club. Last week it was about Islamic women who wear hijabs. This week we are getting our knickers in a twist over our transgender family members. This isn't right and certainly goes against everything I believe in and strive against. We must see Jesus in everyone we meet and stop the judgement and love them as Jesus loves us. God created us in God's image and likeness. I use inclusive language here because God shape shifts when he makes and creates a new human being and beings on other planets in the universe. God doesn't want us to discriminate against any of our family members! If you are confused about the whole gender and sexuality thing I would suggest that you enroll in Human Sexuality or speak to our wonderful people at Pacific Pride Foundation or someone the nearest LGBTQIA group where you live. There is no need to be afraid of us who are in the LGBTQIA community. As a lesbian leaning bisexual and have been one for many years and have kept it quiet I have decided not to keep it quiet anymore. Coming out isn't easy but in order to be an example to my family members around the world I must live authentically who I am. For the record when I was growing up I was confused about my gender and never told anyone. I was confused because I felt I didn't fit in. There are moments to this day that I'm not sure what restroom I should use. No I am not crazy. These things don't make me any more or less the human being and Christian Woman that I am. I choose to use the term follower of the Jesus Movement because we are about being compassionate, accepting, loving and merciful. We are called by God minister to the least of these and that doesn't just mean the homeless, hungry, ill-clad. It means all of us. So dear ones let us stop the hate and begin loving one another. It's ok God loves us all. God after all made us in God's image and likeness and how that is represented is God's great mystery not ours.
So dear ones let us continue to stop the hate and get on with the business of love and striving for peace and justice in this fragile and broken world in which we live.We cannot sit idly by while our brothers and sisters are isolated because they aren't carbon copies of us.
Let us take time before we light our candles let us place our worries,anxieties, fears and anything else that is troubling our hearts into the Worry/Sabbath box.
God we come before you this night with troubled hearts, minds, and spirits seeking unity not division, not to hate but to love, to be together as we accept our differences without fear, anxiety, and suspicion. We light one candle tonight in unity, compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy. We light one candle tonight for the family member and others who represent the latest deaths of our brothers and sisters in the Abrahamic Faiths and LGBTQUIA communities due to hate groups and those who have decided that living is too much to bear and commit suicide. We pray that we all may be one and live authentically without shame as we open ourselves up to tell our stories. We pray for loving hearts and listening ears so that we may absorb the many stories of coming out and the struggles that continue to plague and give rise to insecurity. We pray that we all may be one and that we may seek only to be we not we/they or them and us. We pray this night that we all may be one as Jesus and you are one. We pray that we may respect the dignity of every human being without fear but with light, love, justice, kindness, and a willingness to help stop the shaming and hate filled speech. We hold this candle out to one another and say and pray these words "The Light of Christ in Me, Recognizes the Light of Christ in you! Let us all be one in love, prayer, and peace this night as we are united with you God. Amen.
Respond to these petitions with: May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort be with us this night as we pray for peace in this world and that we may live into our baptismal covenant with you and each other.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we seek as one family with you to find solutions that will stem the tide of all violence and terror.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we seek with you to find our true calling and life path.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort give us strength to speak out firmly and lovingly for those who haven't any voice.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort give us all a return to common sense. Take away from us all temptation to fall into a mob and hate mentality.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort we pray for all who are ill and in need of healing of their bodies, minds, and spirits.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we be sources of comfort one to another and listen to you with our heart homes for those who are in need of help and may not be able to name their needs.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we ever be mindful of our family members who are grieving losses and pre- grieving.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort we pray for all who have been senselessly murdered for who they are. Grant to them eternal rest.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may all of us who struggle to live authentically without fear be able to speak and live our truth valiantly and with courage.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort we pray and give thanks for_________________________
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
We lift up these our prayers in the Holy name of Jesus! Amen.
Today's wish:We never forget that we have a heart to love and a purpose from which to give.
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Good Night Dear Family of Love! I love you and Give God thanks for you this day and always!May we all love, comfort, and encircle each other with compassion , mercy, grace and peace.Remember tomorrow is our weekend retreat of Self-care and Sabbath Rest.
Love, prayers, blessings and a wish for a comforting and restful night,
Sara
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