St. Marsha P. Johnson was a panhandler, a hustler, a drag queen, an activist, and a saint. Born Malcolm Michaels in Elizabeth, New Jersey on August 24, 1945, she was told by her mother on coming out that she was “lower than a dog.” As soon as she graduated high school, she, like other queer youth in 1963, moved to …
Creation Care for Christians: Animals
In Chapter 6 of Inhabiting Eden, Patricia Tull enumerates the terrible ways we treat animals, especially in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). I encourage you to read this list if you have the stomach for it. If you are easily traumatized by the suffering of animals, I recommend skipping that part of the chapter. You probably know it all, anyway. …
Undone by Love: The Other (Program and Sermon)
Program Jann’s Opening Both my parents were preachers, but only one was ordained. I grew up in a small town in Louisiana in the 1950s and 60s. It was in a time in the South when water fountains were labeled “colored” and “white,” and we didn’t know gays and lesbians existed. My father almost lost his job as pastor of …
Undone by Love: The Other
Before Church in the Cliff opened, Lisa and I went to Cathedral of Hope a few times. One time, during the passing of the peace, I turned and encountered a transgender person. I was taken aback. My mind couldn’t register him or her. I didn’t even know what pronouns to use. Then I had an epiphany: God is like that. …