(no subject)

I saw highlights from the Broncos/Chargers game on ESPN at the gym this morning. Wow, that was impressive.

Okay, apparently I need to clarify some things.

When I say, "I want a radical, queer, church, which is rooted in the Bible (and tradition), and which is engaged -- with the text, with the tradition, with the world -- and which doesn't make assumptions," Cambridge Welcoming Ministries (CWM) basically _is_ that church. I don't always love it, but it's still Doing Church Right in a lot of ways.

My frustration was coming out of my recent experiences at CHPC -- and also probably exacerbated by the fact that even when CWM isn't doing it for me I don't have anywhere else I can go.

Don't get me wrong -- First Church Somerville, UCC, is a vibrant church with an integrated GLBT presence (okay, maybe not so much T -- though there's a boy who sometimes dresses in drag who's very much a part of the community) and the preaching is energetic and intelligent and challenging and uplifting, and the pastors are good at pastoral care ... it is my secondary church home, and in part I'm just stubborn that I do "Rest and Bread" (Wednesday evening) there and so don't want to do Sunday morning there, but in part it's also not "mine" (I did Sunday mornings there last Advent, and I hated that so often I was pulled out of the worship experience, having to refer back to my bulletin, because it wasn't announced what we were doing next [e.g., hymn number], and when I raised that concern to Molly -- the senior pastor -- she said she thought they already did too much talking but she would be attentive to ways they could be more inclusive of/welcoming to people who were new; in fairness, Laura Ruth is very receptive/responsive to my criticisms re: Rest and Bread).

So anyway. ( in which Elizabeth gets her rant on )

I want a church that has a (radical, prophetic) vision of the Kindom of God and is working to bring it forth on Earth.

this is not an epic prose poem

I want a radical, queer, church, which is rooted in the Bible (and tradition), and which is engaged -- with the text, with the tradition, with the world -- and which doesn't make assumptions.

I want a church that has a (radical, prophetic) vision of the Kindom of God and is working to bring it forth on Earth.

I want a church that beloves me and that challenges me.

( I have lived my life in churches that feel safe and homey, so feel free to point out things that I'm taking for granted that I should articulate explicitly. Feel free to also call me out on privilege, etc. )

This is my church.

On my way home today, I passed Jordan (recent CWM-er, now sporting green hair).

He said something like, "I will be back at church soon."
He said, "I got dumped."
I made sadface and drew tears down my cheeks with my fingers.
He said, "I love you" -- in a way like, "I'm not staying away because I don't like you CWM folks."
I said, "We love you too.  We miss you.  Be well."

Edit: I went on to facebook to message Jordan to ask if I could lift up his breakup at CWM this Sunday if he's not there.  From his profile: "Religious Views: Cambridge Welcoming Ministries!" ♥ /edit

"Summer and winter and springtime and harvest"

Okay, I'm not loving Emil Fackenheim's What Is Judaism, but I love this (p. 96):

The Lord's mercies are not consumed. . . . They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. (Lam. 3:23)

This passage is found, of all incongruous places, in the Book of Lamentations.

I know that song!

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

I am reading the daily lectionary this week, plus reading this coming Sunday's lectionary each day, and I am really not feeling inspired by the lectionary.  (It's also Reformation Sunday, but I don't feel equipped to preach on that topic.)  I love that the lectionary contains hard stuff, though.  And trufax, God is always present.


I also love that people are having conversations about the church of my vision \o/