The Queen of England Dies
As you know, the Queen of England died. To those of you who are mourning the queen, as the mother of England, my condolences. To those of you who are celebrating because her death represents part of the end of an era of imperialism, slavery and colonialism — I also offer you my condolences.
Our Church Welcomes Diversity
Our church embraces our diversity and we don’t let it divide us.
In our church, we have people who are pro-life AND pro-choice.
We have Trump supporters and we have Trump opposers.
One day, if our church decides to attend a protest or a march—I wouldn’t mind if half of us are fighting for one side and the other half are fighting for the other side. Afterwards, we can all go have lunch together.
A healthy democracy relies on a diversity of voices. We can stay connected through thick and thin— and we can all be stronger, together— because of it. If we all conform to one way of thinking, we run the risk of losing who we are as co-creative co-leaders in the evolution of our humanity.
My best work comes from my fights and arguments with some of you. That creative tension where we disagree— its like iron sharpens iron. Other times, when I have been too sharp, you have softened me. When I have been too mushy, you have slapped me upside the head and helped grow a spine.
We go through phases in our lives. When you were a teenager, what did you absolutely believe? Like Romeo and Juliet, you had to follow the flame of your passion. But in your 30s, all burnt out— you had to take your kids to school. Screw burning down the status quo— its time to rebuild. We go through phases, just like nature goes through seasons, and that helps us to renew, to reboot, to refresh.
As a church, I want us to support each other through all of our phases in life. There is no right or wrong. There’s just right now.
Right now, you wanna be an angry protestor, then that’s what you have to feel and be to vent your frustrations.
Then, a year later you become a vegan mom or dad because you’re at a different place in your life.
Whatever your “now” is, your present moment— is what is. Is what is sacred and honored in the dream of your soul. What is so remarkable is that the villain who has been evil her whole life, one day sacrifices her life to save someone who is good. Or the quiet devoted saint who has said nothing his whole life, one day speaks up to defend a gay child and challenges the ecclesiastical powers.
Truth changes. What’s true for you today won’t be true for you, tomorrow. Or, maybe it will.
All truths serve a purpose— for you to grow and evolve— until your next or more truer truth comes alive for you.
As your pastor, when you rage against the machine, I’m routing for you. When you are in peace, in stillness, ready to go home, I’ll be holding you.
I love you for who you are today. But I also the love the “you” who you will become 20 years from now. And you aren’t going to be the same person.
Feel free to change your mind. Feel free to change who you are.
Feel free to become— yourself at every new stage of your life.
There are going to be many different versions of you. And I love that about you. And I love that about our church.
