Of course, alongside these thoughts are the events of this coming Sunday – a Sunday when we are invited to celebrate National Affirming PIE Day.
My day began early this morning with visits to patients at the Sackville Memorial Hospital and then a trip to Moncton where I visited with patients at both hospitals there. While driving back I made a few phone calls, including one to Rose Kabenyondo wishing her a Happy Birthday! I arrived back at the office in time for a late lunch and a session in front of the computer. My work was briefly but pleasantly interrupted by a visitor with fresh Hot Cross Buns… yum! Thank you!
On this 110th International Women’s Day I find myself pondering the Gospel text from John for this Sunday which includes the verse 3:16, words of love that have been used as a sledgehammer to bludgeon people into a peculiar construct of belief. Words meant to remind of God’s love, used to control and exclude rather to embrace and set free.
Of course, also running through my minds is National Affirming PIE Day Celebrations this Sunday and the works that is ours in these efforts:
PIE = Public. Intentional. Explicit. These are the standards we hold ourselves and our welcome to when we become affirming, welcoming, or inclusive communities. March 14 is a chance to serve some pie and roll out the PIE by celebrating the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ and Two Spirit people in faith communities and beyond across Canada.
By no means have we arrived on this journey, but we are well on the way as we wrestle with difficult questions, listen to diverse voices and ask clearly and often: Who is not here? Whose voice do we need to have speak into this conversation?
Part of the affirming journey for many of us is to simply be quiet long enough so that the voices that need to be heard have a chance to speak. This is true of men in respect to the women’s movement. As my colleague Kendall Harrison put it in his Facebook Post this morning:
Named days have become for too many window dressing to point to as recognition of the issues. We need actions, political will and men to give up their normative voices, opinions and power. Kendall Harrison
In Silence and In Solidarity,
Lloyd
Looking Ahead
Today has been a busy day of hospital and office visits and will end with a meeting of the Pastoral Charge Council – I do hope we done not to long after 8PM?!?
Tuesday will have me in the office in the morning. Bea will be with me working on a project too and Jennie will join us for her regular office hours after lunch. The Preacher’s Help Group will gather at 10:30AM and at 1PM I will join others from the Pastoral Charge in the second of four Stewardship Workshops with Roger Janes. At 7PM I’ll host our Lenten Study group via Zoom.
On Wednesday I’ll work from home in the morning and take part in the monthly gathering of United Church Ministry Personnel of the Greater Moncton area and in the evening I’ll gather for the Virtual Community Meal followed by an in-person gathering the Sackville United Church Executive for their monthly Grounding Meeting.
Thursday will be an office day as I finalize the liturgy and sermon for Sunday and take part in a Zoom meeting with other Ministry Personnel and Director of Spiritual Care for Horizon Health.
Friday and Saturdays will be regular days off and on Sunday I look forward to gathering with you in-person at Sackville United Church and via Facebook Live at 11AM. At 2PM we will mark National Affirming Pie Day with a Pie Auction via Zoom and Facebook Live – and now that we are in the Yellow – in-person too! I do hope you’ll join in the celebration!
Please note, there will be no Musings on March 15th as I will be on Study Leave. Nor will there be a Lectionary Study Group on March 16th, a Lenten Study on March 17th, or a Virtual Community Dinner on March 18th.
