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(Cathy A) This rainbow of colours represents: Red for life in all its forms,
Orange for healing, Yellow for sunlight and all kinds of light,
Green for nature in all her diversity, Blue for harmony, and
Purple for the Spirit which guides us all.
We are called to practice a rainbow, as depicted above, of colours in our lives—in the conversations and interactions in our lives at home, at work, and at play—as we go out into our community and the world to share the message that God’s love is for everyone!
Welcome and Theme: (Elena) We warmly welcome you to our Pride Celebration of Liturgy at MMOJ, a church without walls. Please have bread(crackers) and wine(juice) at your table to be used at the consecration and communion.
Whoever you are,
Wherever you are,
Just as you are,
You are welcomed at this table. (Integral Chistianity by Paul Smith)
(Maryal) On this special day we celebrate the strides made by the persistence, sacrifice, and determination of the LGBTQ+ Community and their allies. At the same time we recognize the growing perils facing these sisters and brothers.
Pride is a positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and gender-fluid people. Pride is also a chance to
promote self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and fundamental human rights, and to celebrate in a safe environment.
(Cathy A) The Pride Parade has its roots in a 1970 march in New York City, which marked this LGBTQ’scommunity, first resistance to police brutality, oppression and human rights violations that had resulted in the Stonewall riots a year earlier, in 1969. Since the 1980’s, this liberation movement has morphed into the Pride movement. Parades, festivities, and celebrations are held to mark improved rights for this marginalized community, supported by allies of all walks of life, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. May this be a spirit-filled and meaningful time for all.
(Elena) Let us begin our liturgy as always in the name of God, our source of all being, Jesus the Christ, our eternal Word, and Sophia Holy Spirit Wisdom. AMEN
OPENING PRAYER FOR PRIDE
(Andrea) Holy One, in a world divided, help us bring peace. In a world where ruthless judgement reigns, help us bring understanding. In a world of fear, give us the courage to speak truth to power.
Creating God –God beyond Gender,
Who makes no mistakes,
Who surprises us always,
Who molded the first person both male and female,
Who molded the first non-gendered human,
Who loves and delights in all creation
God of wild love and extravagant acceptance… Spirit of boldness and beauty… You are faithfully present in both the grit and glitter of life,
and you are present here with us now.
Awaken us to your dream for creation:
A world in which every member of the human family is free
to flourish however you have made them. Holy One, You call each of us beloved.
Each of us cherished.
Each of us desired.
Each of us sacred.
(Andrea and All) And so, we give you thanks now and forever. We ask You in the name of Jesus the Christ, both human and divine, that we may learn to love each other as you love us. AMEN
These prayers were written for LGBTQ Pride Month worship at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, CA.
Opening Song: Love Can Build a Bridge
https://youtu.be/laI791ZTrWE?si=2TcXX0sd_-e0AvRx
TRANSFORMATION RITE
(Jane) Creating God, God of Mercy, as we have acknowledged the diversity in this amazing world, created in atoms and molecules but with an underlying spirit of mystery, we must also admit that, at times, we have forgotten about the wonders of that diversity.
We have longed for things to be familiar and as they have always been. We know that the great religious traditions have caused harm in the past and continue to cause harm and pain to those who express their being in ways different than the majority. We know too, that we individually, both intentionally and unintentionally, have rejected and shunned those who are not like us.
Forgive us for the moments we have held back your ever-flowing current of love, dignity, and justice.
Remake us into a people eager to see you
in the faces, bodies, and expressions of all people.
Remind each of us to step out of the shadows of our lives
and shine fearlessly and courageously. Ignite the Divine Light within us to sparkle through the prism
of our bodies and brighten every corner of this Earth.
(Jane and All) For this we are truly sorry and ask your patience as we learn and strive for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate all in this wondrous world. AMEN
THE SIGN OF PEACE
(Elena) It is fitting that, having asked for Divine and mutual forgiveness, we now extend an expression of Peace to each other. (Elena): Grant us Your peace, O Loving God, that following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, we may be eager to spread that love and peace to everyone, everywhere, with no exceptions. All: Amen.
(Elena) Let us turn to each other and with praying hands offer one another a sign of peace. NAMASTE 3x
LITURGY OF THE WORD (Joan P) This reading from Samuel gives us a picture of God’s love for the marginalized and encourages us to listen to scripture from the perspective of the oppressed, because if you are looking for God you have to go to the margins.
(Joan) First Reading: 2 Samuel 22:3
God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight.
My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders.
Safe in the granite hideout. My mountaintop refuge, She saves me from ruthless people.
But me, God caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; God pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. God delivered me from my strong enemies, from those who hated me, from those who were too mighty for me,because he delighted in me. I stood there, surprised to be loved. God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before her. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to her eyes.
This is an inspiring scripture passage found in 2Samuel. And we affirm them by saying All:AMEN.
Psalm 138 (Maryal)
Response: O Blessed One, we give you thanks and sing your praise!
I was humbled when I came to see that you dwell in me, in the Sacred Chapel of all souls. My gratitude knows no bounds.
Response: O Blessed One, we give you thanks and sing your praise!
For even as you are the most high, you are the friend to the lowly while the arrogant close their hearts to your love and guidance.
Response: O Blessed One, we give you thanks and sing your praise!
Though I walk in the midst of trouble you preserve my life;
You are a very Presence as I face my fears and doubts; your strength upholds me.
Response: O Blessed One, we give you thanks and sing your praise!
You guide me as I pray to fulfill my purpose on earth;
You do not forsake those who call upon you.
Your steadfast Love and Truth endures forever.
Response: O Blessed one, we give you thanks and sing your praise!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID5UGWcS6Ws
Gospel Reading: Luke 19:1-9
(Jim B)
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.'"
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to Jesus, "Look,! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I pay back four times the amount."
Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.”
These are inspired words found in the Gospel of Luke and we respond: So Be It!
HOMILY STARTER AND COMMUNITY SHARING
COMMUNAL STATEMENT OF FAITH
(Andrea and All) We believe in one God, a divine mystery beyond all definition and rational understanding, the heart of all that has ever existed, that exists now, or that ever will exist.
We believe in Jesus, messenger of God's Word, bringer of God's healing, heart of God's compassion, bright star in the firmament of God's prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that we are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of God's love, a source of God's wisdom and truth, and an instrument of God's peace in the world.
We believe that God's kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.
PRAYER OF AND FOR THE COMMUNITY
(Jane ) Creator God and Constant Friend, people of every sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity have the right to live with dignity and without persecution or discrimination. Today we lift them and worldwide supporters in prayer: (Jane and All) We remember them and the people who love and support them.
(Jane ) LGBTQ+ people of Chechnya, Uganda, Zambia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and elsewhere who have been murdered and tortured because of who they are. (Jane and All) We remember them and the people who loveand support them. them.
(Jane) LGBTQ+ refugees from around the world seeking safety and sanctuary. (Jane and All) We remember them and the people who welcome them.
(Jane) Trans and gender-diverse people in Canada, the United States, Brazil, and elsewhere, who are targeted victims of hate crimes and assaults. (Jane and All) We remember them and the people who love and support them.
(Jane) LGBTQ+ people whose dignity and self-esteem have been eroded by hateful systems and structures. (Jane and All) We remember them and seek to be people who love more fully.
For what or whom else shall we pray? After each petition ….. (Jane and All) O Holy One, we bring this concern before you.
(Jane ) Individually, we each uniquely reflect your glory and express your love, but anti-gay violence, homophobia, and transphobia have blocked many from recognizing your beauty in all people. All of creation suffers from the effects of such hate, fear, and violence.Daily, may we dedicate ourselves to building bridges of love and hope where harmful divisions have been made, making equity and equality for all people our goal, while working continually for justice, so that everyone can live fully in your love. Amen A prayer by Alydia Smith for Pride month
Offertory
(Elena) Let us listen as Joe Wise helps us to bring ourselves, just the way we are, to the celebration of Eucharist.
Song: 🎶 “Here is My Life” by Joe Wise
https://youtu.be/Ao5VnopCP-Y
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST / A COMMUNION LITURGY FOR PRIDE
(Maryal) Beloved children of God, as we gather here this afternoon, we are the church! In this moment, we respond to the words of Jesus, who tells us: “…where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” And it is with the power of Christ that we proclaim that this table is open to all people — no matter who you are or what you believe or what you’ve been told. Here at the Lord’s table we remember the simple gathering of a chosen family that came together for a meal that proclaimed a new way of being in this world.
We remember God’s radically inclusive love made real in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
We remember the One who befriended the forgotten, embraced the outcast, and saw the Image of God in all people.
We remember the One who confronted every power that disconnected, marginalized, oppressed, and “other-ed.”
(Please extend your hands over the bread and wine in blessing)
(Elena) Your Spirit is upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, and they are gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.
(Elena) It is here at this table that we find hope and imagination to see God’s dream and promise of a world of wholeness, and it is here that we receive the
nourishment and strength to continue on the paths of justice. (Together) We recall that on the night he was betrayed, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” PAUSE (Together) In the same way he took the cup, saying, “This is my blood, my very life, poured out for you. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
God, we thank you for breathing this world into existence and proclaiming from its birth: “It is good.”
We come to you with gratitude for the endless blessings that we see, feel, and know on our journeys of life.
We celebrate the rich diversity of your creation — every beautiful body, every shade of skin, every expression of love. Through your Spirit, open our hearts to the joy we can find in the midst of life’s challenges. Remind us that we are loved — fiercely and forever.
However the world may try to hold us down or tell us who to be, remind us that nothing can separate us from your presence.
THE ABBA PRAYER As we stand before this feast, we pray:
Joan and All) Gracious Spirit, Who loves us like a mother,
Whose realm is blooming among us now.
And within.
We pray that your compassion guide us in every action.
Give us what we need for each day,
and help us to be satisfied with the miracle of that alone.
Forgiver, whose embrace brings us to wholeness without our asking,
May we reconcile ourselves to one another in humility.
And may we cancel the crushing debts that imprison our neighbors
So that communities of joy and health may flourish.
May we neither profit from nor ignore evil.
But ever work to thwart it with non-violence
As we co-create the realm of peace in this world.
Now and each day.
Amen. (Bret Hesla/wsj)
(Andrea) The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead showed us, by Her action, that life is eternal and that love is immortal.
Loving Source of All, we have looked for others to save us and to save our world. Yet, we are called, and consecrated and sent into the world to establish justice and show the blessed fulfillment that comes with simplicity and the giving of ourselves in love.
We will make new our commitment to the harmony of the original vision of creation.
We will open up wide all that has been closed about us, and our small circles. Like Jesus, in all openness, we will be filled with your own Spirit and renew the face of the earth. For it is through learning to live as he lived, and why he lived,
and for whom he lived, that we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to worship you truly, O Holy One, at this time and all time and in all ways.
And we say yes to You!
(Maryal and All): What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives. As we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.
(Maryal) Beloved children of God, the table is set.Come and feast with the One who loves us more than we can possibly imagine.
Please receive and share Eucharist with the words “You are the Body of Christ”, “You are the Face of God”.
COMMUNION SONG EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL-----RAY STEVENS
https://youtu.be/0a45z_HG3WU?si=M-2-8I1vD7VwoWMQ
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
(Joan) Bountiful God, we are filled with wonder and gratitude as we strive to realize our calling to tell the message of the gospel with our lives. Let the promises of Christ give us the freedom to leave behind all that hinders the coming of your realm on earth. Give us the courage and peace of heart that comes from confidence in your care. Dispel the darkness of our lives with healing truth; make
us ready for the new wine of the future. We ask this of You, God of time and eternity. Amen
PRAYERS OF GRATITUDE, INTRODUCTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS
(Elena) I wish to express prayerful gratitude Mary Theresa, Denise Hacker, Jay Murnane, Rev. Sam Lundquist, and others mentioned above for their contributions to this liturgy. Most of all, praise and thanksgiving to Holy Spirit Sophia Wisdom for the constant encouragement and inspiration to listen, search and revise, revise, revise!
FINAL BLESSING
(Cathy A) We are called to practice a rainbow of colours in our lives—in the conversations and interactions in our lives at home, at work, and at play—as we go out into our community and the world to share the message that God’s love is for everyone!
(Elena and All) (Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing.)
As we go forth from this sacred space, let us purposefully look with new eyes and hearts to recognize our call, to Spiritual growth and evolving consciousness.
Full of Christ’s peace, may we go out in haste to share the Good news of the Divine Presence dwelling within. Remember, that as the face of Christ to the world we are absolute existence and a field of infinite possibilities.
Let our service continue with a Happy song of the soul.
Amen! Thanks be to God! Let it be so!
CLOSING HYMN: A modern day song of joy that echoes the Joy expressed in the celebration of Pride. With all our sisters and brothers everywhere, let us sing out our joy!
Song of the Soul by Chris Williamson
https://youtu.be/W-7yjMLNops
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want If you want to add an intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please send an email to Joan Meehan jmeehan515@aol.com
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