23 November 2021 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

GATHERING SONG – “Welcome”

Bethany First UMC, Boston MA
Words: Laurie Zelman & Mark Miller, Music: Mark Miller

CALL TO WORSHIP

Pauline Nijander

Good afternoon to all those who are able to join us for Chapel on this day, here at Drew. We welcome all of our siblings, whether they be trans, cisgender, or somewhere else on the spectrum. We welcome you if you are gay, bi, straight, asexual, or however you would define yourself. Whether you’re sure of who you are, or questioning everything about yourself, you are welcome in this space.

Beloveds. Today’s chapel service may be difficult to hear for some of our siblings of the Divine. As we move forward in our time of worship together, know that we hold you in our hearts and in loving embrace.
Blessed be.

SONG – “We Are The Body”

Words: Al Carmines & Mark Miller, Music: Mark Miller

SCRIPTURE READING – Colossians 3:12-14

Rebekah Keazer

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Song – “Who You Are”

Jacob Thompson, solo
Words: Lindy Thompson, Music: Mark Miller

MESSAGE

Rev. Debra J. Hopkins, preacher

READING OF THE NAMES

Readers: Rebekah Keazer, Chris Page, Sarah Williams, Carolina Glauster, Pauline Nijander

The following is a list of the transgender and gender non-conforming individuals that were killed over the past twelve months because of their trans and gender non-conforming identities. Every name on this list is a light extinguished too early.

Names:

Tyianna Alexander
Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín
Bianca “Muffin” Bankz
Dominique Jackson
Fifty Bandz
Alexus Braxton
Chyna Carrillo
Jeffrey “JJ” Bright
Jasmine Cannady
Jenna Franks
Diamond Kyree Sanders
Rayanna Pardo
Jaida Peterson
Dominique Lucious
Remy Fennell
Tiara Banks
Natalia Smut
Iris Santos
Tiffany Thomas
Keri Washington
Jahaira DeAlto
Whispering Wind Bear Spirit
Sophie Vasquez
Danika “Danny” Henson
Serenity Hollis
Oliver “Ollie” Taylor
Thomas Hardin
Poe Black
EJ Boykin
Aidelen Evans
Taya Ashton
Shai Vanderpump
Tierramarie Lewis
Miss CoCo
Pooh Johnson
Disaya Monaee
Briana Hamilton
Kier Lapri Kartier
Mel Groves
Royal Poetical Starz
Zoella “Zoey” Rose Martinez
Jo Acker
Jessi Hart
Rickkey Outumuro
Marquiisha Lawrence
Jenny De Leon

PRAYER

Brigid Dwyer

Gracious God, who throughout human history has intervened on behalf of the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed; who loves those the world despises, and who has commanded us to love one another. You made your trans children fearfully and wonderfully, and we bring to you today our laments and pleas.
As the prophet Habakkuk once begged you, so do we, “How long, oh Lord, how long shall we cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry ‘Violence’ and you will not save?”
You promised you would never leave us, that we would be sent a holy comforter. But we feel little comfort. Instead, we feel fear and frustration and helplessness.
You said you would tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days, and instead, all around us we see the decades-old bricks of our oppression ever more fortified with the recent mortar of a very lucrative structural transphobia.
And we come to you annually, Father of all Mercies, to remember those of us who have been murdered over the previous year, who have been added to that gruesome tally. And we come to you to ask for healing, for peace, and for comfort.
But today, Lord, we ask you to make good on the promise you gave to Jeremiah, that your wrath may go forth like fire and burn, with no one to quench it.
Kindle your fire in the forest of our oppressors, gracious God. Let it devour their message boards, news networks and newspapers, their gender-critical academic polemics and their comedy shows. Burn their hot takes on our existence right out of them like a refiner’s fire and let us live in peace.
Oh God who has known us since before you formed us in the womb, we ask all this in your name.
Amen.