Thursday, July 4, 2013

GLBT Expo Communion

On March 12, I partook of the body and blood of Christ across from a manually-powered bucking bronco and within earshot of a drag show spectacular.

We created a sanctuary there, at the St. Francis of Assisi Church's booth at the Jacob Javits GLBT Expo on West 34th street in Manhattan, NYC. I'm not Catholic. I didn't know the words to the refrains - or when to kneel or make the sign of the cross. But I know Jesus, and because of that I felt welcome.

I grinned like a court jester the whole time, bouncing around on my tippy toes to read hymn lyrics off the paper of the person standing in front of me. Here we were celebrating the Lenten season, fresh from the contemplative holy day of Ash Wednesday and welcoming the "GLBT Expo Congregation" to take part in the Lord's Supper. I was invited to share the encounter. And sometimes an encounter is all you need.

Lisa Ling said during her OWN Network special, "Pray the Gay Away?" that she'd "fallen in love with Jesus" during the course of her research for the program. We have such an eminently lovable Savior that it took just a little bit of "research," to draw the heart of an accredited journalist. "If I be lifted up, I will draw..." As GLBT individuals we know a little bit about the price of love. We have a thing or two we can teach the church. If only we would all come to the communion table.

At first I didn't realize it was a mass. I just saw a booth for a church with people gathered in front of it and made myself at home. When we all shook hands to pass the peace, I thought the service was over and had nearly walked away when I noticed the bread and wine. We drank from one cup - cold virii be damned (literally!) I grabbed for the chalice (I think I wasn't supposed to do that) because there was so little wine in the bottom of the cup that I automatically responded to the urge to raise and tip the goblet back further. The host was placed in my hands and I savored the moment.

Yes, I am one of the ones that He gave His life for. One reason among an impromptu congregation of reasons. A Pentecostal Holiness child among Catholics, a lesbian among drag queens, a child of God, among children of God. And so I smiled.

Aimee Sims is the founder of NuWine Press, a publishing company which aims to provide fresh perspectives on the Christian faith without alienating any of Christ's followers because of their gender, ability, political affiliation or sexual orientation. We publish fiction, non-fiction, resource books and scholarly works. http://www.nuwinepress.com

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God bless...

Ms Jini (jcchristianles)
"For With God Nothing Is Impossible" Luke 1:37

The Message (MSG) John 3:16-18
16-18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

GLBT Christian Stories: sweetladyj on storymash.com

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"Together with Jesus is better than separate and alone" - Sarah Bowling

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Join me in building a Prosperity mentality (100 Lessons on Prosperity) for the next few weeks!

Join me in discovering 58 Blessings found in the Holy Bible as discussed in Mike Murdock’s book “The Covenant of 58 Blessings”.

Join me in Fasting From Wrong Thinking this year!
 
Join me in discovering 21 Ways God Supplies as taught on the Believer's Voice of Victory program on Trinity Broadcasting Network by Gloria Copeland & Pastor George Pearsons from Eagle Mountain International Church in Fort Worth, Texas as they discuss 10 DAYS OF DEBT FREEDOM (which I will be covering after 21 Ways God Supplies).