In Mourning and in Hope, with an invitation to action

In Mourning and in Hope
by Pastor Chris

We continue to mourn for the 50 people killed and 53 people injured in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. On Sunday evening, I was invited to say a few words at a vigil in honor and remembrance of the victims.

Here are some of my words:

At the Urban Abbey, we are committed to changing the conversation about LGBTQ people from whether they are of sacred worth to how LGBTQ people embody the very image of and teach us about God.

And so tonight we declare:

That every person who died in the Orlando shooting was a person of sacred worth.

Every person who was killed or injured was a beautiful & beloved fully human child of God.

This is not debatable.

And if I may offer one word of hope from the Christian tradition. This may not be your tradition, so feel free to take it metaphorically.

In our tradition, Jesus was crucified by the powers of oppression because he had disturbed them. Because his radical message of love that breaks down all barriers and knows no boundaries had started to take hold.

And they were scared. So they killed him. A year ago same sex marriage became legal. And I fully believe that the violence and vitriol toward LGBTQ people has been heightened because we are inevitably…inevitably headed toward full inclusion of all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. But today in Orlando the powers of oppression created a monster that crucified the very people who were embodying love that knows no bounds.

But this gathering…this gathering and ones like it in New York, in Dallas, in Florida, all around the country and all around the world ...all of us gathered in this spirit of courage and love...this is what resurrection looks like.

Let us continue to rise, and rise again, together. 

 Amen.

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Friends:

The struggles we face in changing our world are many.  The systems are complex and difficult to change.  There are so many aspects of the way we live together that we must examine that it becomes challenging to even begin to find a place to make change.  I would like to propose for a moment that in our grief, in our worry and in our hopefulness, we begin one step together.  I would invite you to look towards the work of the Brady Campaign that works for reforms that would change the way fire arms are sold and used.  It is time to begin thinking and imagining and dreaming a world that is worthy of our children and grandchildren.  It is time to write to our representatives to let them know that we are longing for leaders who will do the work of making change, even if that makes them unpopular with folks like the NRA.  Please give a look.  Take time to learn.  Join me in writing a letter to our representatives.   My letter is to let them know we want them to work for a safer world and that I will be writing again every time new legislation is presented to remind them that I stand for background checks and a ban on assault weapons…and that is just the start.

http://actions.bradycampaign.org/page/speakout/co-sponsor-hr-1217

Thank you from your local Abbot,

Debra