Membership Sunday - November 11

We will be receiving new members during worship on Sunday.

Deacon's Corner:

Yo God,
What a wonderful gift You gave me this morning.
When I got to work this morning and looked at my feet…
…well I had one black shoe on and one brown shoe on.
How I did that I'll never know but what a great big belly laugh I had.
The kind of laugh that brings tears to your eyes and almost hurts.
I know You were laughing right along with me.
Thank you for helping me laugh at myself this morning.
All too often I take life way too serious and sobering.
Instead of making this a huge issue and a moment of calling myself stupid,
You helped me see the humor of being just that human.
Amen to that-

 

Deacon Debbie

Pastor's Reflection

I've been reading a series of books by F. Paul Wilson.  The main character is a man called "Repairman Jack."  In each book, he is involved in the age-old battle between opposing forces: not quite as simple as good vs. evil.  A mysterious old woman with a dog repeatedly says to Jack, "there is no coincidence!"

I think in my life there is also no coincidence.   I travel in many circles and meet many people.  There are too many points of contact for my travels to be coincidental.

Today, I made a bereavement visit for a man who had lost his mother recently.  He was my age and had lived his entire life with his parents, caring first for his father and then for his mother.  At the age of 64, he finds himself living alone for the first time in his life.  When he called to set up the appointment, my gaydar raised a question.  When I visited him, I had no doubt that he was family.  I casually slipped our family code words into the conversation.  "Partner" was the word that caught his attention.  Although we did not directly address the issue, I had successfully outed myself to this man and he clearly had not exactly outed himself to me.  He did, at the end of our grief counseling, ask "so, your church takes care of gay and lesbian people?"  I said yes but that we were open to anyone.  He then wrote down our address and time of worship.

Being out is a sacrament.  A sacrament is a point of contact between human and divine.  Our being out is an invitation to others to enter into a dialogue with us - a dialogue that may help to bring them closer to themselves and to God.

There are no coincidences.  Wherever you find yourself, you have the opportunity to make a difference: first, by being yourself with no pretenses; and second, as a spiritual God-centered person.  To be gay and a believer is a sign of hope.

What better can we be than a sign of hope?

Love,

Rev. Jim

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Anyone and Everyone

On behalf of the Gay Alliance and WXXI, you are invited to a free screening of the acclaimed film Anyone and Everyone on Sunday, November 18 from 2 to 4pm at WXXI's Studios.

This film tells the story of families from Utah to North Carolina and Wyoming to New York, all connected by a common thread - a gay child.  This poignant and often heartbreaking documentary depicts familie representing a wide range of religions, nationalities, and political leanings.

SEATING IS LIMITED. Reserve by calling Scott Fearing at 244-8640 extension 20 or email: scottf@gagv.us

Deacon's Corner:

Yo God,
Was it amazing, I think not?
The two openly married lesbian ministers that competed in the “Amazing Race” were a safe choice for prime time TV.  They were not knockdown gorgeous. They were not physically fit.  They were the stereotypical “old maids”, not sexual, not flaunting their relationship or marriage; even their praying was done in private.

God, what would have been amazing, is for two openly married lesbians like Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson and Paula Schoenwether to have competed in the “Amazing Race”.
Nancy and Paula are not knockdown gorgeous, but they are not “old maids” either.
Nancy and Paula are not “iron women”, but they are physically, emotionally and spiritually sound women.
Nancy and Paula are married, fighting for that marriage to become legal here in the U.S.
Nancy and Paula are private individuals, but pray in public as well as in private.
These two women are truly amazing as they run their own “Amazing Race” of life.

God I know we have come a long way on TV. with Rosie, Ellen, and the L-Word.
But, the “race” is not over…. not only do we need funny out lesbians; we need strong, smart, and spiritually sound out lesbians. Not just TV personalities, but every day life personalities. Women, who speak up, stand up and run the race each and every day of their lives, sometimes in the lead and sometimes at the end, but never giving up..
Yo God, help me to be one such woman. Amen-
 

Deacon Debbie

Pastor's Reflection

Chuck, Jerry, Jackie, Pat, Joan, Rodney, Anthony, Venus, Regena, Reggie, Linda, another Linda, Katie, Mary Ellen.  Those are the first names of the 14 people who joined Open Arms MCC on Sunday, November 11. In 2003, we had "active" members numbering somewhere in the high 20's.  With Sunday's new members, we have 74 active members.  The highest we've been - yet.  And they are joining with ideas of how they can be involved and active.  We've spoken of ourselves as puzzle pieces making a whole.  Today I'm thinking of a quilt - especially a crazy quilt.  Here's a couple of definitions of crazy quilt:
  1. A patchwork quilt of pieces of cloth of various shapes, colors,
     and sizes, sewn together in an irregular pattern.
  2. A disorderly mixture; a hodgepodge: /The map was a crazy quilt of
     districts and precincts./

Well, we are various shapes, colors and sizes and we are "sewn" together in the beautiful irregular pattern that is Open Arms MCC.  And we are certainly a disorderly mixture, a hodge-podge when we consider the many places of belief and unbelief we come together from to form a unity that works because of God being the stitching that holds us together.

We can take a look at the 74 people who are official members and then we can add the many who attend who don't feel ready to be members yet, and the regular or irregular folks who drop in.  God stitches us together into a really beautiful crazy quilt.

And, even though a big group joined, there are still people who are working up to it.   And new faces coming.   We had the pleasure of meeting Joe and Mark who come from very uninclusive churches.

Spend a little time considering each name in our quilt.  Think of the unique beauty and strengths and contributions to your life that each one makes.  Give thanks to God for bringing us together and fitting us together into a remarkable work of God's bounty.

Love,

Rev. Jim
 

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Deacon's Corner:

Yo God,
There was such beautiful bedlam, commotion, and outright chaos. Boxes being wrapped, cans be counted, and turkeys being put on ice, while all around folks were laughing and shouting out what was needed in each box. This was our annually Thanksgiving basket ministry. Once again the generosity of our Church filled twenty-five food baskets to be given to Aids Rochester.

God, thank you for this Church that finds something in each season, in each day to celebrate and give thanks. It is through this understanding of thanksgiving we are able to reach out to others and make a difference however small. Amen-

Deacon Debbie

Pastor's Reflection

Thanksgiving - Giving Thanks - the opposite of "taking for granted."

One of the sad facts of our existence is that we are too rarely grateful and too often take for granted the blessing in our life and the wonder of those whom God has given into our keeping.

Although we have reason to be grateful each moment of our lives, we set aside one day a year to be grateful - and on that day, we are often too busy preparing, eating, watching the parade, watching football, and all the other things we do.  Too busy to remember to be grateful.   Our families are often too uncomfortable about deep sharing to say out loud before we eat what/who we are grateful for.  Let's try to make this year different.

Paul and I will leave Wednesday afternoon to travel to western Massachusetts to join the McGill/Larareo clan for a few wonderful days.  Thanksgiving Day is traditionally "open".  People come from every direction to become part of the clan for that day and that magnificent meal.  Then on to Thanksgiving night volleyball.  Some of us will sit and watch, rubbing our bellies and moaning.  Friday will be family day.  What a family.   All shapes and sizes and temperaments and orientations - all family.  We will have our traditional kielbasa, home made Boston baked beans, Boston Cream Pie, and lots of everything else.  Douglas, who was a toddler when I first started join the clan, is now tall enough to look down on me and, frightening thought, is now driving.  He promises to take us for a ride. 

Each day of my life, I am grateful for the McGill/Larareo clan.  They are part of my "family of choice" and they love me and fuss over me and care deeply how I am.  They took Paul to their hearts with no question and heckled him relentlessly the first year he came when he couldn't find the light switch in the bathroom.

And each day of my life, I am grateful for you, my Open Arms MCC family of choice who  and also love me and fuss over me and care deeply how I am.

Today, and each day, I do not take you for granted  I hold you in prayer and I hold you close to my heart.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and a grateful life.

Love,

Rev. Jim
 

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