Who is welcome at God’s table? In this congregation, which became Open and Affirming in the early 1990s, the question of welcoming LGBTQ+ members was answered decades ago, and it’s now so normal for us that it’s hard to believe this is still even a question. But this question reared its head again in Seattle current events over the past 8 days, so we’re going to review it, just in case there’s any doubt.
Here's the general road map:
Unpack this scripture reading
Desert road—not a lot of people around, not a lot of water.
Road from Jerusalem to Gaza—probably can’t travel such a road today.
Philip met someone. What do we know about this person?
Ethiopian—not from around here. An outsider.
Eunuch—doesn’t fit the typical heteronormative male role. Sexual minority through physical alteration of his body.
An important official in charge of all the treasury of the Ethiopian queen. Eunuchs were considered safe to work in close company with a queen because there was no risk of hanky panky. In Esther, the king has a harem, and the person in charge of the harem is a eunuch named Sha-ash-gaz. So we see that this eunuch in today’s reading likewise has great responsibility in the queen’s court; in his case, he is in charge of the treasury.
He is returning from a trip to Jerusalem, where he went to worship. So we can surmise that he is a Jew making something equivalent to the hajj for a Muslim: a trip to the Holy Land to worship.
He is traveling not on foot, not on horseback, but in a chariot. Definitely a person of means and importance.
He is reading Isaiah. 1. He can read. He is educated. 2. He has access to scripture. This would not be a printed book, such as we have today, but more likely a scroll.
Isaiah text is from Isaiah 53: 7-8
Sheep that before its shearers is silent: As those who attended shearing day in March can attest, when the shearer Kevin grabbed a sheep, he rocked it back on its butt. Once all four feet are off the ground, the sheep can’t run away, which is its primary form of defense, so it stops fighting and may even go limp. The shearer can then give it a haircut.
“In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
“Who can speak of his descendants” is an interesting phrase to bring up to a eunuch, who will have no descendants. So maybe this eunuch can relate.
The eunuch asks Philip who Isaiah is talking about—himself, or someone else. The reading from Isaiah is talking about the image of the suffering servant. Christians have retrojected meaning into this text that was not there for the first five centuries of its existence. So Philip uses this text to talk about Jesus. There are other ways to interpret it, but this suits Philip’s purpose.
So the eunuch and Philip are riding along this desert road and they come to water. Apparently Philip must have been talking about baptism, because the eunuch, who seems to be a very can-do fellow, says, “What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
Well, there is this. Deuteronomy 23:1 says, “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off shall be admitted to the assembly of God.” That’s pretty specific. Does Philip bring that up? No. Philip just asks if the eunuch believes with all his heart. And he says yes, he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That’s all. There’s no talk about the eunuch being some kind of second-class status because he doesn’t conform to societal norms. He wants to be baptized. He’s baptized. The end. Accepted fully just as he is. And he goes on his way rejoicing. He is fully welcome at God’s table.
What Mayday USA is about—their agenda.
Here are three quotes from the Mayday USA website.
Mayday is inspired by the grassroots movement #DontMessWithOurKids, which started in Peru during a time when kids were under extreme attack. They were able to oust the Prime Minister and the Education Minister, and George Soros pulled out all of his funding. In order to accomplish this, millions of people went into the public square for worship and preaching of the truth, and the silent majority used their voices! Today, in Peru, transgenderism is classified as a mental illness, and life is defined at conception. It’s our turn! [ABOUT — Mayday USA maydayusa.co/about]
#DontMessWithOurKids is a grassroots movement that refuses to stand idly by while the children of our nation are indoctrinated by a liberal, political, and sexual agenda that seeks to destroy their God-given identities. We believe we must freely exercise our constitutional rights as Americans as we stand boldly for truth, justice, and righteousness in the public square.
We are currently living in a hinge of history moment that will impact generations to come…
One that demands a response from every man and woman on the face of the planet. As millions of babies are murdered in the womb every year, hundreds of thousands of children are trafficked, and the nations of the earth are in crisis - we can no longer sit silent and remain quiet. . . .
As we go to the streets, we will stand for our children, restore the family unit, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus. —Jenny Donnelly
Elsewhere I read that Mayday USA welcomes LGBTQ+ people, who can then go through “conversion therapy” to become straight and “normal” through the healing power of Jesus.
Mayday USA has been on a tour of five US cities, holding these massive concert-like worship services in New York City, Miami, Houston, Seattle, and Los Angeles.
So what do we do when Mayday USA comes to town?
Mayday USA is presenting Christianity in a way that is not how we understand it. We come from an Open and Affirming congregation that believes and practices that all are made in God’s image, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.
We take care of our people.
We stand in public affirmation of what we believe, especially in light of theology that has proven so damaging to people wrestling with their God-given sexual identity or gender that the only way they can see to end their pain is suicide. One Methodist minister protesting Mayday USA had a sign that read, “Religion is the #1 risk factor for queer suicide! Your theology is literally killing people! Repent and leave!”
We offer a different theology, one that welcomes people just as they are, and celebrates the diversity of God’s creation.
So on Saturday, May 24, Patsy, Consi, and I met here at the church to go over to Cal Anderson Park together. Patsy had her sunhat with a bright rainbow ribbon. Consi had painted “Love Is Louder” all over the back of a white tee shirt. And I wore the rainbow stole that Suzanne Fry made for me years ago and that is perfect for these situations. Before we left Prospect, we stood in the outer office, held hands, and prayed—for the Mayday USA folks, for the police, and for all of us showing up to stand in our own truth. We knew that the police had already made some arrests of protesters. We went anyway, with our message of love and peace.
When we got to Cal Anderson Park, we met up with over 70 other clergy and laypeople who were all decked out with signs and rainbows. Here are about one third of them.
As a group, we walked down the east side of the park and took up a position off to the side of the Mayday crowd. We held our “Love Is Louder” signs, wore our rainbows, and stood as a quiet witness that there is a more inclusive Church. As we walked to our spot, several people joined us. One man, who looked like he was on the verge of tears, thanked us for being there.
The rally itself was joyful, very high energy, lots of music, hands waving in the air. It looked like fun. If what they were preaching was what I believed, I can see how this gathering would be an uplifting experience. They talked about Jesus’ love for everyone, forgiveness of sins. A pastor standing next to me said, “You know, I agree with about 95% of the words they’re saying, but I understand the words to mean something different than they do.” Yeah. When Mayday started singing “Jesus Loves Me,” we sang along.
There is so much we have in common: an invitation to experience the love of Jesus, to know forgiveness, to want to worship God. And yet.
Standing behind a police barricade were a lot of people who were making a lot of noise: banging on things, yelling. I’m thinking that was the spot where there had been some arrests earlier in the afternoon. And then there were a lot of police, some in riot gear. When the National Guard showed up, Consi and Patsy and I decided we had stayed long enough, and we left. The rally shut down not long after that at the suggestion of the police.
If you tracked this news story this week, you know that Mayday then complained to City Hall that their first amendment rights to freedom of worship were infringed upon by being shut down early. So they had an encore gathering on the plaza at City Hall facing out to 4th Avenue on Tuesday evening. I went to that one, too, this time with about 14 other clergy, all of us wearing rainbow stoles and/or robes—we were clearly clergy.
We had two big banners like the one hanging on the outside corner of our church building. These banners say,
Be the Church.
Protect the environment.
Care for the poor.
Embrace diversity.
Reject racism.
Forgive often.
Love God.
Fight for the powerless.
Share earthly and spiritual resources.
Enjoy this life.
I can’t tell you how many people stopped to take pictures of the banners or to thank us for being there. Some of our clergy waded into the thickest and most riled-up crowds and tried to deescalate.
We stayed for close to two hours. Several in our group were interviewed by the media, including KOMO 4 and KUOW. We have sent a letter to the mayor signed by 28 clergy of various denominations saying love is louder than hate; Jesus’ love is for all; and these Christians don’t speak for us.
This isn’t the end. Mayday may be back. Or others. Knowing what we believe and being willing to put ourselves out there on the line is life-saving—for us, and for those who are dying to hear a message of acceptance and inclusion. We’re not throwing bottles or rocks. We’re not shouting the Mayday group down. We are standing in our truth and in the love of God as we experience it. It’s not always easy or convenient or even safe. Look how things turned out for Jesus—he riled up his opponents so much that they crucified him. But then you get Philip and the eunuch and this extraordinary welcome, just as he is, as God’s beautiful child.
As the eunuch travels back to Ethiopia, he will no doubt continue reading Isaiah. Three chapters further on, the topic turns to God’s covenant being extended to all who maintain justice and keep the sabbath—even foreigners and eunuchs. It specifically says this:
Do not let the eunuch say,
“I am just a dry tree.” [As in family tree.]
For thus says God:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
Who choose the things that please me
And hold fast my covenant,
I will give, in my house and within my walls,
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off. [Isaiah 56:3b-5.]
Talk about a specific welcome to one who does not conform to the gender and sexual norm!
May all of us know that kind of welcome. And may everyone we encounter know God’s welcome channeling through us. Amen.