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Rachelle Lee Smith and I met via Twitter. Hard to imagine feeling so tuned to someone you got to know 140 characters at a time. Which is stretching the truth somewhat because it was early on that we began connecting via email. Rachelle's powerful work became the focal point for a service I was creating for West Hill United. Two years before, West Hill had become a member of Affirm United/S'Affirmer Ensemble, the group within The United Church of Canada that promotes rights for the LGBTQ community, particularly members of the Order of Ministry within the UCC. That first year we had George Smitherman as our guest speaker. Invited prior to his bid for the city's mayoral seat, George brought with him his lengthy and very public witness to the leadership LBGTQ members in our community can offer. The following year we were joined by Kathleen Wynne. Then Minister of Transportation it was in her previous role as Minister of Education that she became front page news as the brains and grace behind an amazing public school curriculum unfortunately defeated by conservative evangelicals in relation to just this issue. This year, we welcomed Francisco Alvarez, Co-chair of Pride Week and the champion of the successful bid for the 2014 World Pride Week festival here in Toronto.
Back to Rachelle. Teaching at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Rachelle explores life with her camera and, in a multimedia essay, helped a group of LGBTQ youth to explore themselves in relation to the world. I won't try to give you the idea but will send you to it so that you can experience Rachelle's sensitivity, power, energy, truth, clarity, wisdom, and insight. Prepare to be moved.
Speaking OUT: Queer Youth in Focus
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As we open ourselves
to the promise of each moment,
may we open, too,
the hidden doors that keep us, one from the other.
Hung on perfect hinges,
a mere breath might swing them wide,
perfectly, silently, open.
In that moment, we would be free.
As we work toward a time when all our differences,
all our challenges, all our myriad perspectives
can be swept aside as doors swing wide between us,
may we know moments of that perfect freedom,
that intermingling of souls,
and ever yearn to make it so.
As light into light, we pray,
Amen
from Holy Breath: Prayers for Worship and Reflection
(c) 2004 gretta vosper |
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Each day brims over with possibility.
In every second lie choices, chances,
in numbers too great for us to comprehend.
And yet, at day’s end,
when chance has met us
and we have lived out our choices,
the events of the day lie ordered—
perfectly captured in a singular way—
and all other possibilities are scattered to the wind.
Would that we could see the end of every choice!
Would that we could hold all possibilities in place
until, at least, we understood
what each would do to us
to those we love, to the world around us.
Silence
May we ever strive to see beyond our limitations,
choose beyond our immediate needs,
and live into each day, the fullness of its opportunity.
As light into light, we pray,
Amen
from Holy Breath: Prayers for Worship and Reflection
(c) 2004 gretta vosper |
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