Bullies--No Joking Matter

On March 10^th, the White House hosted a conference on “Bullying Prevention,” including remarks by President Obama and the First Lady.

“Bullying can have destructive consequences for our young people,” President Obama said. “And it’s not something we have to accept. As parents and students, teachers and communities, we can take steps that will help prevent bullying and create a climate in our schools in which all of our children can feel safe.”

The White House also unveiled a new website, http://www.stopbullying.gov that includes tips, resources and help for teens, young adults, parents and educators.

What is one of the primary themes for bullies? Many children are bullied over gender identity issues and sexual orientation.

The conference also marked the reintroduction of anti-bullying and nondiscrimination legislation in Congress. U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) reintroduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act, legislation that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. Also, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act, which would require higher education institutions receiving Federal student aid to develop bullying policies that draw specific attention to harassment fueled by bias against race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and other characteristics.

“The alarming increase in teen suicides has shown us just how far we are from making our children’s schools safe spaces,” Polis said. “We must take action to protect the safety of our students and enshrine the values of equality and opportunity in our classrooms. My legislation puts LGBT students on an equal footing with their peers so they can attend school and get a quality education free from fear.”

Statistics continue to show that LGBT youths have a much higher school dropout and suicide rates than other teens—as well as frequently being the targets of violent and persistent school bullying.

All of us are different—but most of us are not required to defend our differences on the playground, in class or at Sunday school. Most of us can conduct our lives in freedom. Let’s make sure that all of our children can enjoy this same freedom. Education is a right for all children in America. Let’s make sure that schools and churches can provide this education in an environment of encouragement and safety.

For more information and a wealth of tools for parents, educators and clergy, go online to: http://www.stopbullying.gov.

Rev. Larry King, Senior Minister

Portland Center for Spiritual Living

Killing Me Softly With His Psalm

I have to admit, one of my guilty pleasures had been listening to podcasts of Joel Osteen. Although we differ in our approaches to God, although we differ in the themes we explore as ministers—he’s irresistibly positive. What a relief to have a positive message by an eager man who exudes such simple and easy kindness.

It was good to see him in another forum—outside of his 16,000 seat sanctuary—when Whoopi Goldberg interviewed him on the View. Among many questions she asked him: “How do you feel about folks that are gay…” and “Are gay folks welcome at your church?”

In his kindest voice Joel said,

“Of course, they are all welcome. But I come from that value system of scripture that homosexuality is not God's best… I just try to love them and treat everybody with respect."

I almost missed it—he said it with such sweetness: “Not God’s best.”

Then I got mad. Not because Joel has a different opinion. Not because of the power he holds to sway others’ opinions. I got made because he so sweetly uses scripture to back up his ideas of social engineering.

I love scripture—the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, in particular, are important to me. They help me better understand the timeless truth of the Divine. They help me get closer to God. But scripture is certainly not a good blueprint for modern social engineering. If we are to treat homosexuals as inferior based on scripture, what about all the other scriptural issues that we cheerfully ignore:

• We freely mix fibers in our clothing (forbidden in Leviticus 19:19)
• We associate with women during their period (forbidden in Leviticus 15:19-20)
• We do all sorts of things on Sunday (forbidden in Exodus 20:8)

This is just the tip of the iceberg on items prohibited by scripture—and we cheerfully ignore most of them. Surely the time has come when we can evaluate scripture for its spiritual content and leave the 2,000+ year-old social customs, caste systems and dietary laws behind? When I use scripture it’s to empower. When I read scripture it’s to elevate.

I feel a bit hoodwinked. I confused Joel’s manner for his message. I wanted Joel to like me, I guess! Instead, I feel like singer Roberta Flack in her 1973 hit Killing Me Softly. No matter how sweetly someone may sing, I will not permit anyone “Killing me softly with his song.”

Each of us is “God’s Best.” Now and forever. God doesn’t create anything less than perfection. Each of us may fully embody our Divine nature without worry or shame about who we are.

Rev. Larry King, Senior Minister

Portland Center for Spiritual Living

The 10 Commandments: A Call For Inclusion

The story of the 10 Commandments is one of my favorites in the torah.  The storyline could not be better – it begs for popcorn and a blanket next to a good fire.  A people, once enslaved and now free, is wandering in the desert looking for a path to a new homeland.  They stop at a mountain and their leader disappears.  Suspense ensues.  Moses has gone up the mountain!  When he returns, he is expected to bring down the 10 Commandments and to begin a new journey as a people committed to a vision of living a holy life.

 I questioned as a child why God would bring all the Israelites out in to the middle of nowhere to give the 10 Commandments.  Why not just take them to Israel on a direct route and give the Law over at that time?  It didn’t seem to make sense.  What lesson could possibly be learned by three months of wandering around in the middle of the desert? Interestingly, the Mehilta Derebbe Yishma’el, an early commentary on the Bible, offers us a clue that I believe speaks to the radical inclusiveness that exists within pieces of biblical tradition.  The Mehilta teaches that “The Torah was given in public, openly, in a free place.  For had the Torah been given in the land of Israel, the Israelites could have said to the nations of the world: You have no share in it.  But since it was given in the wilderness, publicly, and in a place that is open to all, everyone wishing to accept Torah may come and accept it.”

What a beautiful teaching!  To me it is akin to my colleague and friend, Rev. Tara Wilkins, a UCC minister, who often says that religion should have a “y’all come” mentality – a sense that everyone has a seat at the table.  And for an ancient text like this to offer an opening to rethink the giving of torah, to show us a path in when it may appear that some are to be left out – that is a true thing of beauty. 

The real question remains – so what?  So what if torah is open to all?  The idea of an open access policy feels important to me because it forces the issue of inclusive religion.  It mandates that all are accepted if they freely choose to be part of this sacred community – or in the language of our torah portion – to be part of the kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  The teaching of the Mehilta offers us an insight into what the ancients thought society and religion ought to look like.

Sometimes the journey is just an aid for a juicy retelling.  But every so often the journey is about something more than just the average attention span of a member of the faith community – sometimes it reaches beyond in search of a deeper truth.  The truth offered here, in this journey is that everyone, regardless of gender or sexual identity, is offered a seat at the table of biblical tradition. 

But that kind of radical inclusion is not without its challenges or burdens.  It places the burden for inclusion squarely on communities and institutions by rooting the value of inclusiveness and equality in one of our most ancient midrashic texts.  It offers a challenge to the institutions of the faith community to build structures, both physical and metaphysical, that support the inclusion valued here.  But it also places the burden of seeking religion out on the individual – one me and on you.  It challenges us to use the values of our midrashic tradition to demand our seat at the table from all branches of religious life and community. 

When Popular Culture Notices The Truth

Much of the time I ignore popular culture. Whether it’s in the news, on TV or in the magazines at the checkout stand—most of what I see is about people making bad choices. Popular American culture seems to take great delight in things gone wrong—especially for the rich or famous. I also expect that much of what I see may be “made up” for publicity or to knock people off the pedestal of movie stardom.

I couldn’t help but notice how singer Elton John has been in the news lately. The checkout stand is all a-buzz. Sir Elton John (and his longtime partner, David Furnish) had a baby. This is not so amazing in this time of adoption and surrogate parentage. What is amazing is the tabloids are not sending Sir John to purgatory over it. They’re not even evaluating his anticipated parenting skills. They’re on his side by saying that America needs to better tolerate, support and understand non-traditional families.

In USA Today, when Sir John was asked to comment on some of the recent violence against the LGBTQ community he replied:

“We’ve come so far, with a black president, it’s mystifying that this can still be going on.

“Jesus Christ taught tolerance. That’s the example we should follow. We should forgive, understand, be compassionate. We’re not all the same. Thank God! It would be so boring.”

Two days ago he hosted his annual Elton John AIDS Foundation benefit. He was honoring the memory of AIDS activist Ryan White. The teen died of AIDS 20 years ago and helped combat prejudice and ignorance associated with the disease at the time. Sir John said White was an "amazing boy who had no prejudice, no bitterness ... God do we need that kind of thing in America at this moment."

It’s not surprising that Elton John stands for inclusion, tolerance and support for the LGBTQ community. After all, he was one of the early celebrities to self-identify as gay. He knows what exclusion can feel like—and he works to end it in his charitable endeavors.

What is wonderful to me is that this is newsworthy. Does the media really understand that we need to embrace all of our human family? Are the Associated Press, Reuters and TV media just in love with Elton John—or are we experiencing a time when even popular culture must recognize that everyone is worthy of love, life, compassion and their own unique brand of happiness?

Rev. Larry King, Senior Minsiter

Portland Center for Spiritual Living

Building the Dream

Yesterday our congregation honored the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in part, by affirming Rev. King’s call as a follower of Jesus. His words rang out as his speech was read and the Gospel proclaimed. The Christian call, a call to justice, requires firmaments of hope and faith focused on the Light of God’s ever present love.

More than the oppression that burdened him, Rev. King’s passion for justice burned from the witness of Jesus and a discerning ear that listened for the voice of God’s revelation to ground him. He said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing”. His deep connection to God inspired his actions and his words and what became a legacy.

Sister Joan Chittister has been moved by that legacy. She asserts that in Rev. King we see a glimpse of the face of God. In times of adversity, we look to those who can lead us out of darkness into the light. Sister Joan writes, “In their eyes burn the eyes of a God who sees injustice and decries it, sees poverty and condemns it, sees inequality and refuses it, sees wrong and demands that it be set right. These are people for whom the Law above the law is first in their lives. These are people who did not temporize with the evil in one system just because another system could have been worse. These are people who saw themselves clearly as the others' keepers. They are the people who gave themselves entirely to the impulses of God for the sake of the world.”

Rev. King eloquently imparted his dream, his vision for a promised land. He prayerfully conveyed the words and images that inspired a movement. He spoke not only in articulated principles, but with the acknowledgement of the hard work that was necessary to realize them. He knew that the dream alone is not enough. It requires our participation. It requires many of us to bear witness to it. “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

I believe that Rev. King would have been inspired by President Obama. I like to think that he would have been deeply moved, as I was, when the President bore witness to the call for peace and civility at the Memorial Service in Tucson. We HAVE come a long way.

“And so we still have a long, long way to go before we reach the promised land of freedom. Yes, we have left the dusty soils of Egypt, and we have crossed a Red Sea that had for years been hardened by a long and piercing winter of massive resistance, but before we reach the majestic shores of the promised land, there will still be gigantic mountains of opposition ahead and prodigious hilltops of injustice. We still need some Paul Revere of conscience to alert every hamlet and every village of America that revolution is still at hand. Yes, we need a chart; we need a compass; indeed, we need some North Star to guide us into a future shrouded with impenetrable uncertainties.”

Today we pause to remember what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s legacy means for us, in this time, in this moment of history. As I listen to all of the political rhetoric infusing our airwaves, progressive rhetoric, conservative rhetoric, outrageous, hostile and crazy rhetoric, I keep thinking do people really believe that we can live into the American dream, that we can solve our problems of poverty and war and education and healthcare by making enemies of one another. Do we think we further our progress and evolution by projecting our frustrations and fears onto others?

I think our biggest challenge is not the tea partiers, the conservatives or the progressives. The biggest challenge is in thinking that someone else is going to solve our problems. As long as we sit on the sidelines and complain about our President or minimize the concerns of those who are different from ourselves, then we have no right to demand that anything be different. If we refuse to muster that Paul Revere of conscience, then all we have is dream. To live into the dream, Rev. King’s dream, the American dream, the dream of God’s kin-dom, is to actively become a part of it. Rev. King said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”. My prayer on this day is that we take a new path, a different step, a kinder, bolder step toward justice that proclaims the Holy in each of us as we together live in to the dream. Amen.

Rev. Tara

The Exodus Story - A Chance to Rebel!

The early part of the Book of Exodus has always been one of my favorite sections of the Bible.  Although I was a bit young to really appreciate Charlton Heston’s portrayal of Moses in “The 10 Commandments,” (I do remember believing, however, that Moses did come down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets in one hand and a machine gun in the other!) I can still recall seeing the movie on TV as a child and my parents reminding me that this was our story.  My grandfather (may his memory be a blessing) even once threatened to make us watch the entire film during a Passover seder! 

 This story of the Israelite people is the story of all peoples who have faced oppression.  Although it remains the core foundational story of the Jewish people, the translesbigay community can and should see itself within this core myth and use the lessons therein as one path forward.  The rebellion of the Israelites against its leadership and Moses’ liberation from his Egyptian upbringing makes this a compelling argument.  Rebecca Alpert, writing in The Queer Bible Commentary, makes a convincing case for this vision by noting that, “…we look forward to a time when with whom we choose to have sex and to live and to love and the ways in which we choose to express our gender identity will no longer be marked by any members of society as sinful, illegal or disgusting.”

But first we must rebel.  Just as the Israelites rebelled both against Pharaoh and later against Moses and Aaron we too must be rebel against the forces of oppression and also be willing to rebel against our leaders when they act in ways that are unacceptable.  We should rebel in small ways; by subverting the hetero-normative aspects of our texts and traditions and by questioning and queering the texts.  We should write new midrashim and weave new stories that speak to the community of queer and allied folks.  We need to be willing to take that step of approaching Pharaoh, the source of oppression, and demand an end to bullying and tormenting and to be let go to live a life of self-expression.

We must also be willing to rebel in larger ways when our government fails us through inaction or intolerance; we should advocate and push our elected leaders to do what is right and just.  We should demand equality for all people.  And we should do it from a place of deep faith and understanding of those values within our biblical and contemporary traditions.  We should demand changes to our laws to protect our youth from homophobic attack and bullying.  We need to be willing to take that step of approaching our own leadership and demand that they do what is right. 

In my desire to get fired up and to rebel, it is easy to forget the simple truth here.  The story of the Exodus is not just a communal story of a people enslaved to Pharaoh and the rebellion of the Israelites.  It is the story of an individual child; a baby placed into a reed basket and sent along the Nile to a new family.  Moses is raised with a hidden identity as an Israelite and is brought up in a position of power from Pharaoh’s palace.  As he grows he realizes that something about him is different from his Egyptian family and he begins to question.  Only later in his life after a long journey does he discover, through an encounter with a burning bush, that he is not part of the majority culture.

Our rebellion for equality is in service of those young people who, like Moses, are struggling to come out of the closet and into the fullness of their identities.  We hold the memories of those children and young adults who were murdered by intolerance in recent months and we offer up a vision of equality to let those who are still here know that it does get better, that people do find themselves and that we will leave this place of oppression and go to a land flowing with equality and justice.

And although we are just at the beginning of the story it is clear where we will end.  God has demanded that the Israelites be set free to live lives of meaning.  We just have yet to fulfill that vision in our time.  May that ancient vision, the freedom of an open society rich with the fullness of human expression, be granted to us, speedily and in our days.  Amen.

Love and Marriage: It's Not Just For Straight Maccabees Anymore!

Hanukah is this week and Jews across the world are trying to bring light in to a world that is so often filled with darkness. The Maccabees, a group of zealous Jews some 2100-years ago, fought and won the right to practice their religious traditions and live in the way their hearts desired. In recognition of that great achievement, the story of long-lasting oil was born to help reflect the importance of dedication to a cause of religious freedom and the pursuit of justice.

The Kedushat Levi, a Hasidic commentary on the Torah, asks the question, "What is Hanukah? . . . They only found one flask of oil which contained only enough [to light the menorah] for one day. And a miracle happened that they lit from the flask for eight days. The next year the sages established eight days to praise and thank God. Why did the sages establish the holiday for eight days? If there was already enough oil in the flask to last one day, the miracle was only seven days long. The real miracle of Hanukah was that there were two forms of joy. So, although the miracle [of the oil] was only seven days long, the sages added an additional day to commemorate the second reason for rejoicing [namely, the recognition that the miracle is a reflection of God’s presence in the world].”

An interesting argument, right? To say that the real miracle of Hanukah is our recognition of God giving us the miracle – of our understanding of God’s presence in the world, is pretty bold. Yet it is true and it helps us to continually find new meanings for this wonderful holiday season.

For me this year, Hanukah has been wrapped up in the marriage equality debate happening in California’s 9^th Circuit Court. After two years of the darkness of oppression and bigotry it seems as though we are on the cusp of the first Federal Court decision to recognize the sanctity of all relationships. I watched the oral arguments on CSPAN intently and I am hopeful for an outcome that would fulfill our country’s promise of acceptance and equality. To put it in ancient words; I believe that a great miracle will also happen here. I believe that, much like the Maccabees of old, that the court will soon grant the religious freedom of our generation; to allow people to marry their beloveds and to allow religious denominations and clergy to marry same-gender couples and to have those marriages recognized as equal and valid.

In this time of great darkness, we light candles to bring light back in to the world. They are candles of love, truth, faith and justice. They are stories of partnerships and families. As we approach the end of Hanukah and reach that 8^th candle which celebrates the true miracle of Hanukah, I hold the teaching of the Kedushat Levi in my heart. The real miracle of Hanukah is our recognition of God’s presence here at this very moment. It is the recognition that God willing, one day soon, we will be able to stand with pride and tell our children, “One day a great miracle happened HERE!” Love and Marriage: It’s Not Just For Straight Maccabees Anymore!

I wish all of you a joyous Hanukah and holiday season.

Hag Urim Same'ah (A happy and light-filled holiday season),

Rabbi James

Pausing for Thanksgiving

Friends of CWC,

The Hebrew and Christian Scriptures are speckled with moments of giving thanks. Prayers are offered, songs are sung, dances are danced and blessings are received. Even our ritual of Holy Communion relives Jesus pausing to give thanks to God before he serves and feeds and nurtures. Ritualized or not, the act of pausing in gratitude IS a spiritual practice.

The American culture often identifies itself through political lenses. We see each other not as fellow humans on a journey, but as red or blue humans either living right or wrong depending on your persuasion. And now we have moved directly from election season to shopping season. In the midst of these secular waves, it can be difficult to settle ourselves enough to have a spiritual practice or to notice some inner sense of connection.

Christian communities are about to embark on an Advent journey searching for peace and love, as we await the birth of hope. But somewhere between the Christmas music on the radio, door buster sales and news reports of traveling hazards, we have an opportunity to pause. We have an opportunity to create some space to acknowledge all that we have, to observe the connection we have with one another, and to offer thanks to a Higher Power, whom I call God for the gift of creation.

Amid the gatherings this weekend, the football, turkey, family "stuff", even among the shopping, may we pause to give thanks. Light a candle, say a prayer, let us make some space to allow ourselves to be filled with awe and wonder for our blessings. Monday we can focus on where we need to go, but for now, let's pause and be grateful we are on the journey in the first place.

I am grateful for the ministry of CWC, for the lives that we touch, for the people who pray for us, donate their treasure for us, and who provide leadership. And this weekend, I especially give thanks for all those who are courageous enough to live into who they've been created to be. I thank God for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied community!

May you be touched this weekend and know that you are loved. May you have a blessed Thanksgiving!

In Peace,

Rev. Tara

Devar Torah (Homily) On The Story of Abraham and Sarah

The early part of the story of Avram and Sarai tells us of their journey into the unknown path. After hearing a call from God telling them to “get up and go,” they take their nephew, Lot, and begin the mythic history of the Israelite people. Although surely there is much to focus on in this sedrah (section of the Torah), I want to take us to one small word in chapter 14 and the ensuing commentary. Genesis 14:13 notes that during an intertribal conflict, an escaped prisoner came le’avram ha’ivri, to Avram the Hebrew, to inform him that Lot had been captured. Ha’ivri, that notion of Hebrew peoplehood, also begins its long journey through history at this moment.

But why note here that Avram was a Hebrew? It seems to be an unnecessary detail. A comment from Genesis Rabbah, an early collection of homiletical midrash (extra-biblical stories), teaches that Rabbi Judah said: Ha’ivri signifies that the whole world was on one side while he was on the other side. Rashi, a famous eleventh-century commentator, has the same question and answers that the root letters of the Hebrew word ivri (ayin, bet, resh) should be understood as “other.” Avram the other.

Just as Avram and Sarai go out with little assurance, it is often easy for members of the LGBTQ community to feel alone in individual journeys toward identity. Whether it is harassment in schools, bigotry, violence or intolerance in public and private spaces, it can often seem like being queer means being “the other.” And moments of breaking free from the closet and coming out are points of intense emotion and fear. So often there is enormous risk in that first moment of journeying toward a true self. But we are blessed with a tradition that embraces that otherness and cherishes it. Sarai and Avram’s journey is one reminder of the power of journey and it teaches that we should love that journey and embrace it.

The question remains about where Avram and Sarai are journeying to. For us, we might reframe that question and ask instead, how can we as a Jewish community create a place for everyone? How can we make a spiritual home for people to journey toward as opposed to a home that we only leave? Just as God enters into a covenant with these new Hebrews, faith communities across the world should enter into covenants of equality internally and covenants of advocacy externally.

For Avram, the internal covenant is about getting up and going. As Reb Kaplan previously taught in a commentary for Jewish Mosaics, Leh Leha is about “going to yourself.” The act of moving and getting your soul committed to the journey is no small task. The external covenant is the act of circumcision. For us the internal covenant is about creating welcoming communities that celebrate the journey and the destination of LGBTQ folks with the fullness of our rituals, traditions and celebrations. The external covenant comes from publicly affirming our commitment to the fullness of expressions of identity and to advocating a religious case for marriage and social equality.

I believe that if we do these things, we will find that the journeying will be a source of blessing for the Jews we encounter at the destination and along the way.

Oregon and SW Washington Religious Leaders Applaud District Court Ruling Overturning Prop 8

Clergy and religious leaders celebrate California’s District Court decision declaring Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional. “It’s a prophetic moment when all loving families are recognized, honored and celebrated”, said Rabbi James Greene of Temple Beth Sholom and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Community of Welcoming Congregations. “This is the day that God has made, let us rejoice in it”, he continues. The Rev. Dr. Brooks Brandt of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Vancouver said, “For my church, the court’s ruling is a celebration, a moment in which our values are reflected in the policies and decisions of our country”. The Rev. Natasha Brubaker-Garrison, priest at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Eugene concurs. “I am delighted by Judge Walker’s ruling. His decision lives into the spirit of our country where there is equal protection for us all.”

The Rev. Dana Worsnop, minister at Atkinson Memorial Church in Oregon City states, “As a Unitarian Universalist and as a human being, I am thrilled that more and more people are seeing more and more clearly that the right to marry who we love is a basic human right. When two people who love each other choose to marry, something new and holy arises in the world.” The Rev. Tara Wilkins, a United Church of Christ minister and executive director of the Community of Welcoming Congregations declares, “This is a victory for all those who work on the front lines to ensure equality. As a Christian, I must stand on the side of love, while insisting on justice. Civil marriage is separate from religious marriage and should not be denied for religious reasons.”

The Community of Welcoming Congregations (CWC) is an interfaith advocacy nonprofit working for the full inclusion and equality of LGBTQ persons. Currently CWC has 110 members across Oregon and SW Washington each of whom have adopted a position to be intentionally inclusive of lesbian and gay families.

Sunday Evening Post

“Every person needs a day away”, writes poet and author Maya Angelou. We all need time away to reflect and recharge our batteries. We need time to lose ourselves in ourselves. I look at time away as a sort of pit stop on our journey. It’s easy to dedicate all of our nonworking hours to other things, other people. It is important, though, to schedule ourselves into our own busy calendar. Sometimes we are so busy serving our own community; we lose sight of our individual path. We cannot effectively live out all we are called to do and be if we don’t stay connected to the Source. My prayer for this week is that we all take time this week to be away, to visit the Source and to connect with awesome power that comes from your incredible spirit. May we all clearly hear the “still small voice”! Blessings, Tara

A great loss -- This week the community lost a great man. Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield left us on Jan. 6 unexpectedly. Every once in while we meet extraordinary people who transcend the human experience and give us a glimpse into the heart of God. Rabbi Aryeh embodied love and peace and joy. The grief at his loss is huge. But the memory of his spirit fills us with hope and love and peace. Our prayers are with his family, the P’nai Or Congregation and the community at large.

On Monday, people will gather for his Memorial Service at 12:30 pm at Congregation Neveh Shalom. (See P’nai Or website www.pnaiorpdx.org for more details)

What you need to know – Equality Sabbath Materials have gone out. We’ll post them to the website early this week. Please join us January 25-27 to prayerfully unite during your regular Sabbath observances.

You are invited -- Join us on February 28 at 6:00 pm at Central Lutheran Church in Portland for our Annual Celebration Dinner and Silent Auction. The Portland Lesbian Choir will sing and our special guest will be Dr. Bernie Schlager from the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry. Donations of silent auction items are being accepted. Contact Karen Kulm (lk.kulm@gmail.com) for more information. Tickets are on sale now for $40 each or reserve a table for a discount $375. Call the CWC office 503-665-8741 if you have questions.

Today is National Coming Out Day

Today is National Coming Out Day. It is also my eldest daughter's 25th birthday. 25 years. A quarter century. In the wake of the death of my mother and grandmother, I realize how very proud I am of the woman she has become. She's had her ups and downs, her challenges and her triumphs. She gave birth to two of the most special grandchildren in existence. I see my own hurdles and celebrations when I hear her get impassioned about the latest issue.

Perhaps because of this sense of nostalgia, I reflect on the last 25 years in the gay rights movement. 25 years ago, Cleve Jones (whose birthday is also today), began the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and a few years later began the NAMES Project Memorial Quilt. 25 years ago Cleve stepped up and stood in his truth about who he was to respond to an epidemic that no one was paying attention to. He embodied, like so many others, what it means to be out, living in authenticity. He said, "If AIDS had taught us anything, it was that we must be true to ourselves if we are to survive."

Our community was experiencing genocide and public health officials and politicians, immersed in their own form of bigotry and homophobia, stalled in their response. And people like Cleve, stood up, organized and wrapped their arms around a community overwhelmed by death and grief. Cleve understood back then, the importance of claiming your power.

Matthew Shepherd was murdered 10 years ago this week and earlier this year, Lawrence King was murdered in California for being who they were created to be. Their deaths are symbols for all those who are victims of hate crimes, who die by suicide or who die from the inside out in their closets.

Sure, National Coming Out Day is a day to celebrate the gifts and achievements of our community. It is a day to look back and acknowledge how much we have been through. But is also a call to come out as people of faith. A call to listen, to be present, to affirm and understand.

In the coming days, when we meet each other on the street, let us pause and remember. Let us pause and connect. Let us affirm for one another what a gift we really are.

Blessed Be.

Rev. Tara

Challenging Ourselves

In Sunday's Oregonian, an editorial caught my eye. Becky Ohlsen wrote, "Portland, Get Over Yourself: Wrapped in self-satisfaction, city snoozes on the issues". The article begins:

"Every few years, in lefty mags like the Utne Reader, someone declares yet again that Portland is a bastion of "livability," a wonder of civic planning and a model of progressive politics. And, to some degree, it is all of those things. But when you've lived there for a while and then left, as I have, you start to wonder if Portland isn't more like one of those willfully anachronistic Amish or Mennonite communities: idyllic but isolated, utopian but irrelevant.

With few exceptions, Portlanders inhabit perfect liberal values. They recycle with a vengeance. They're into slow food. They shop at organic grocers and farmers markets, or they grow their own vegetables in a community garden. They don't think it's rude to ask the waiter if the salmon on the menu is farm-raised or wild; if it's farmed, the diner will opt instead for the salad of locally grown beets and wild greens picked in the meadows of nearby Mount Hood. Being vegan is cool, not annoying. Portlanders drink organic beer and wine (except for the dregs of the demimonde, who insist on Pabst Blue Ribbon and are mocked for it). They bicycle to work, and they frown at cars as they pedal by. Those who must drive are forgiven if they own a Prius or if their vehicle flaunts a BIODIESEL sticker across the back. Public transport works well here, and people use it. Gay rights and racial equality are taken for granted as goals, if perhaps not yet total achievements. Everyone does yoga; serenity is a family value.

So what's the problem? Isn't this a virtuous and exemplary way to live?..." For the full article, see: http://tinyurl.com/4fyb24

What struck me about her main assertion was that even progressives must do their inner work to stay relevant. It reminds me of a common dynamic in the welcoming church movement. Many "progressive" congregations and denominations fall into the trap of "we did that", "we took that vote years ago" or "my tradition has been a leader on LGBTQ issues". While those specific things are often true, many times congregations don't move beyond that point. CWC offers a workshop called, "So we are Open & Affirming, now what?" for just that purpose.

Letters have been coming in to the Oregonian by people stating that her opinion doesn't represent their view of Oregon. And I think the author was trying to motivate and encourage people to get engaged and not to just say, "we did that". And regardless of how we feel about Portlanders and their seeming (or not) self-centeredness....I think there is a kernel of truth that communities in the "welcoming church movement" might do well to consider. We all can do more in terms of expanding our own individual ideas on inclusion and equality. We can do more individually...and as communities. We must not rest on our laurels and say....oh yeah...that inclusive stuff, we did that.

Does the article strike you that way too? I'd like to know.

Peace and joy,

Rev. Tara

We Pause to Give Thanks

Dear Friends,

As we pause to give thanks this year for our many blessings, I am keenly aware of the impact you have made on our journey this year. From Transforming Faith, making our presence to be known in Salem, PRIDE celebrations, to singing about Faith and Freedom, you have been there boldly sharing your faith! Your courage, deep conviction and passion for justice has inspired me and our Board of Directors. We are deeply grateful for your partnership.

Yesterday we remembered those across the gender spectrum and the loss that many have known. Our transgender brothers and sisters continue to lead us with their prophetic voice and faithful witness as they challenge us to get real regarding our own social constructs and the institutional bias that accompanies them. We give thanks for the gifts shared with us by our Trans friends.

Some of our lesbian sisters have been in the struggle for voice and equality for many years. Since our nation was founded, strong women have stood up for the voiceless, rooted in deep faith, claiming their power to effect change. Our feminist and womanist sisters have taught us to organize, to speak out, to question authority and to expand the circle until we are all included. For our lesbian sisters, we give thanks.

Our brothers who are gay men, we applaude your witness, your strength and your ability to get things done. You remind us that there are many ways to be a man, and that sensitivity and masquilinity are beautiful things. Your creative spirit helps us to remember that beauty and justice work aren't mutually exclusive. We give thanks for all that you bring to our community.

Our bisexual brothers and sisters are often undervalued. Caught in our own hypocracy, we often shun those who aren't at the extremes of the sexual orientation spectrum. You remind us that sensuality cannot always be confined to one expression and that in the end it's about who you love. For your voices and your openness, we give thanks.

For our allies, our Pflag parents, and our clergy leaders, we are appreciative of your presence, your support and your willingness to stand with us in the heat of the moment. You recognize that discrimination is wrong even if it's not happening to you. You demand that justice come. And you remind us, even when we didn't hear it from our own families, that we are all worthy of love. Thank you for nurturing us, for working so hard for all of us, for this we give thanks.

Working for the full inclusion and equality of those across spectrums of gender and sexual expression is demanding and challenging work. It's work though that brings us closer together. As we share our faith, our gratitude, and our bounty, we are mindful of the contributions you have made that help us to share the truth that we are each loved by our Creator.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Community of Welcoming Congregations, we offer prayers of Thanksgiving for you, your faith community and all those who have touched us. And as we break bread with our loved ones, we pray that all will be nurtured and find spiritual home.

Thank you for the Blessing that you are! Happy Thanksgiving!

In joy and gratitude,

Rev. Tara

National Coming Out Day

Friends,

October 11 is National Coming Out Day. Today we celebrate the call to be our authentic selves. Today is a day to recognize all of the challenges and joys of coming out. The faith journey we each take is marked with milestones of courage, moments of recognition and experiences of transformation. For those who are transgender, lesbian, bisexual and gay and for the people who love us, coming out is a necessary step in our physical, emotional, and spiritual development.

Coming out requires the courage to be who we are created to be. Our journey towards wholeness, health and healing reminds us that we cannot live lives according to other people's expectations. We must be bold in our conviction to be all of who we are, bringing our whole selves to our relationships, our places of employment and our religious and spiritual communities.

We are each created in the image of the Divine, so let us not be afraid of the love and light that image reflects. Tonight CWC invites you to pause, to light a candle or offer a prayer. Consider who you have been created to be. Consider where you have closets that need to be opened. Remember that we each have a unique gift to share and that you are never completely alone in the struggle for equality.

We are a wonderfully diverse people. Tonight let us celebrate the fullness of who we are and the potential we each have to create a world full of justice, hope and peace.

Shalom,

Rev. Tara

CWC challenges House of Bishop's position

The Episcopal Church USA’s House of Bishops met in New Orleans and released a statement on Tuesday. They met with the hope of “mending the tear in the fabric” between various factions within the Anglican Communion.

I think it is important to lift this example up as so many denominations struggle with living out an inclusive Gospel. Their statement, and others like it, is religiously, indeed theologically offensive. It denies our humanity and wholeness as people of God.

They concur: As all parties agreed to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and as they pledged as a body to NOT authorize public rites for the blessing of “same sex unions”. They affirm their position from March, “We proclaim the Gospel of what God has done and is doing in Christ, of the dignity of every human being, and of justice, compassion and peace.” And then call for the “unequivocal and active commitment to the civil rights, safety and dignity of gay and lesbian persons.

It is a contradiction to on one hand state that we are one in Christ and we are full and equal participants in the life of the church, and then to state that the church cannot affirm our families. It is a contradiction to “proclaim the justice of Christ” and then to deny it. The theological position that we are all one in Christ but not in Christ’s church is offensive. The position that gay and lesbian people are included in every way in the life of the church as long as we deny who God created us to be is immoral, destructive and spiritually violating.

The House of Bishops call for the justice and dignity of gay and lesbian persons. They state, “It is of fundamental importance that, as we continue to seek consensus in matters of human sexuality, we also be clear and outspoken in our shared commitment to establish and protect the civil rights of gay and lesbian persons, and to name and oppose at every turn any action or policy that does violence to them, encourages violence toward them, or violates their dignity as children of God.”

They oppose any action or policy that does violence to us, except for their own. Committing spiritual violence is more debilitating than physical violence. Do they not see the log in their own eyes? They violate our dignity as children of God and then condemn that position.

So my question is, “What is the pastoral message to the gay and lesbian community?”

I affirm and acknowledge that this is church politics and is not the demeanor of many local congregations. I know there is strong leadership in the Episcopal Church working on behalf of all of us. But I have a deep concern for those Episcopalians who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender AND the people who love them. This sort of verbal and theological abuse is not okay.

The Episcopal Church is not alone. The Presbyterians recently presented a report entitled, “Peace, Unity, and Purity”, which took a similar view. The Lutherans (ELCA) recently voted to defrock a gifted beloved pastor for being who God created him to be. My intent is not to call out the Episcopal church per se. My intent is to challenge us with two questions. The first is always, What is the pastoral response to the LGBTQ community? And next, are we complicit in the abuse if we are not actively doing something to counter it?

For those of us in denominations who are actively working for the full inclusion and equality of all persons, CWC is with you. Our prayers are with you, our support is with you. This is not easy work. And for those congregations who are actively proclaiming inclusive faiths, you go! We stand in solidarity with you and will do whatever we can to lift up your message of love and hope and peace. And for those who are lone beacons modeling the peace of Christ, challenging exclusive policies, providing the prophetic word, know that you are not alone. We are all in this together!

Let us pray for the spiritual protection of all those who may hear the rhetoric of church politics within and outside the church. Let us pray for healing for those who have been wounded. And let us turn our faith into action by actively working for the full inclusion and equality for all. Blessed Be.

From Morningbear

Perusing the S-J in Salem, there was an article on how the city was prepared to deal with hate crimes, listing the usual groups against which such crimes are directed, although the subjects of the Civil Union legislation and Equal Rights legislation were noticably absent. We have worked hard to get this legislation on the books and now we are threatened by various fundementalist and evangelical groups that wish to strike down these liberating laws. How does the message of Jesus Christ and his life allow professing Christians to be hateful and deny others protections they would go ballistic about if they were denied them? I also noted in the paper that one town in Oregon has problems like Jenna, LA, focusing on its Latino population. Hate crimes are alive and well in Oregon and without legal protections for all Oregon citizens, some will feel obliged to express their hatred in some pretty pernicious ways. It is up to the spiritual community to encourage ethical thinking and inclusion in law and in politics.

Walk the Blessing Way
Swim the Blessing River
Soar in the Blessing Light

Morningbear Mercer

Welcome to the conversation!

Friends,

We hope to expand our horizons and the discussion by exploring issues of faith and sexuality, life and spirituality in this new forum. We invite you to join us!

Blessings,
Rev. Tara

Executive Director