This Sunday, we’re celebrating 3 years as an Affirming Congregation. As we say in our congregation’s Mission Statement: As an affirming ministry, we celebrate the diversity of God’s creation. We celebrate the richness of our community when we have diversity in age, gender identity, racial/cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, ability and family configurations. We seek to create a safe place with an open invitation to bring every aspect of one’s whole self into one’s participation within this ministry.
We are living into our affirming identity in many ways, but there is always so much more that we can do intentionally as a community to live into our affirming commitment. It is important not to become complacent with how welcoming we are and miss the ways that we can continue to transform ourselves and allow our congregation to be transformed. This Sunday the sermon title is “What’s love got to do with it?” Both in the sanctuary, and in the children’s program we’ll have the opportunity to reflect on Paul’s words about love. We talk about “welcome” but how do we push ourselves further? Other highlights this Sunday include:
- sharing the Peace of Christ with one another
- lighting candles for joys and sorrows during our prayers
- a choir anthem that combines a Latin chant “ubi caritas” with an African chant in an upbeat Easter anthem
- poetry by people in the LGTBQ+ community
- and coffee and tea served before the service (come any timeafter 10am) as well as afterward
I look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday.
Blessings, Emily
Rev. Emily Gordon Phone: 647-303-6709 (work cell)
Email: emily@leasideunited.org
Like to read the scripture readings ahead? Our scripture readings for this week: Luke 24:36-42; 1 Corinthians 13
Did you know that April is poetry month? We’ll be hearing a couple of poems by LGTBQ+ poets on Sunday, but before then you might be interested in watching a couple of short poems: Maybe I Need You by Andrea Gibson and Lee Mokobe sharing a TED talk A powerful poem about what it feels like to be transgender.
If you like TED talks, you might also be interested in watching A queer vision of love and marriage by Tiq Milan and Kim Katrin Milan.
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