Seeds of faith

Psalm 27

           "How special" says the church lady. You might say the same. I try to build up those that are beaten down, bullied, marginalized and negated especially in the gay community. I try to instill self worth in troubled people and try to help them know that they are loved by God and that they are precious in the eyes of God. Yes, how special.

            And where are we to go with this wonderful feeling, this knowledge? For us to grow, to have this feeling be acknowledged and for it to take root in our soul, we need a place to go.

           While I believe this Psalm is a constant source of joy and consolation in troubled times ( in any time ) we need to know where we can go to nourish this seed of faith within us. For eons the gay community has gathered in places where we would feel welcome with people of our own ilk, where we would be appreciated and accepted.  The same goes for our faith. There are those who would deny that being gay is a gift from God. I can recall sitting in church not too many years ago, the church of my youth. I was in the middle of a long pew when the Priest started to rail against "the gays". It was unfathomable to me and I had the urge to stand up and walk out ( after I told him he was full of crap ). I stayed for the service but knew that this was not  church that would nourish my faith, make me feel welcome. I realized that even if the congregation welcomed me, or even the Priest himself, that the hierarchy still believed I was 'disordered' and that they chose to blame large portions of their own pedophile problem and coverup on gays men. Rather that be honest and forthright, they lumped good people in with people with an illness and all the time never acknowledged their own guilt in coverups.

Can anyone who is gay and has any self respect and dignity stay in such a church? The real point is we need to find churches, believers, faithful servants of God who appreciate God's diversity. We need to find and engage in a community of the faithful that allow us to nourish our faith and offer the myriad gifts we have to offer.

         I will lead with the assumption that if you are reading a blog you can easily access the internet to find gay friendly or inclusive churches.  That is crucial to the survival of the faith we have. If we are to grow in God's love, it must be done in community. Everything Jesus did, save meditation, was in a community. The early church was all about community. Seek and you shall find, ask and you shall receive. 

           But always know....       The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? 

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh-- my adversaries and foes-- they shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.

Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!

"Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, LORD, do I seek.

Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!

If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.

Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!