Thank you for letting me be myself again...

Today we wrapped up our "spirituality of jazz" series - and I must say that my band mates were on fire this morning!  We had a LOT of jazz - as well as traditional European sacred music, songs of praise from Ghana and South Africa - and our reworking of the scripture into a blues jazz groove.  The climax, however, was our reinvention of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and our extended jam on Carlton Maaia's "Golden Stone."  Pure ecstasy.

In practice, both songs were ripening so I was hopeful. But in worship, after setting the context re: improvisation with the text from Hebrews, "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." each band member took a verse of the song and interpreted it according to their own gifts and soul. And when these sounds were added to the flatted 5th I put in the chorus, something mystical took place within and among us.  So as one dear friend said, "Hearing about it last night was one thing, but being present today was heavenly."
After worship, about 20 of us gathered with three guests who work in the LGBTQ community for a conversation and potluck.  We've been trying to find ways to help those in church who want to go deeper in spirit and soul make it happen, so we've set up a three part series of luncheons with provocative speakers.  After their opening, we spent about 45 minutes talking about the questions our guests had formulated for us. It was powerful - and painful - and always sacred (much like Cohen's song.) 

When we closed, two very upbeat ideas rose to the surface about how we can continue to live into our Open and Affirming commitment:  1) we're going to hold a dance with the Live Out Loud team for LGBTQA youth in our building; we have a big old hall and it would be a creative partnership in support of our kids who need to know they are safe and loved.  And 2) we're going to put some time, money and effort into creating a unisex bathroom that is small, private and secure.  Hearing the testimony of one new friend who is a transgendered person helped us realize that our verbal commitments must become flesh if they are to matter in this broken world.
One of the speakers noted that I had recently taken some public hits in the local newspaper for being an ally.  (I just read them and they are mean-spirited and so unlike Jesus it blows me away.)  But trashing my name in public is small potatoes compared to what so many LGBTQ youth and adults have to face every day. It is ugly to read their insults, but Jesus was clear in the Sermon on the Mount:  if you are going to be an advocate for grace and justice, people are going to hate you.  So I give thanks for the insults and celebrate the love and solidarity we share with our partners in ministry as we work to make this place a little more safe and open for all of God's children.

And I have to tell you, as I head into my late summer vacation, the thought of hosting a LGBTQA dance - with a bit of karaoke in drag - is killing me anticipation!