Leading up to the Special Council on Human Sexuality in April, the Reformed Church in America has published a series of 21 devotionals to help the denomination and participants prepare. We encourage all Room for All supporters to sign up to receive these devotionals via email and follow along as we pray for the church and particularly those LGBTQ people who are participating.
In addition, Room for All has commissioned a series of 21 Inclusive Prayers and Devotionals written by supporters and friends of Room for All to coincide with and complement the RCA’s series. We will publish those here on OUTsights over the next 21 days.
These readings and prayers are solely the words and opinions of each guest writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Room for All, their staff, or the board.
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Day 6
A Plea, Prayer and Song
by David Lohman, Faith Organizer with the National LGBTQ Task Force
Stop the harm. In the name of God, stop.
Church should be a place of refuge, of love, where we are acknowledged as beloved children of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. But for those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, church is all too often a place of judgment, of rejection, where we are told that who we are, who we were created to be, is an affront to God. This spiritual violence leads to unspeakable, profound despair. Forty percent of kids living on the streets are LGBTQ, many thrown out of “good Christian homes.” How on earth can we expect kids to deal with that much pain and rejection from those – family and church – who are supposed to love them? For too many, the pain is simply too much, and suicide is the only choice they see. All of this, done in the name of God.
Stop the harm. Here. Now. Today.
For All the Children
1.God, we gather as your people
to raise our song above,
and we dare to claim the promise of Your love.
Though the day may not yet be here,
we trust it soon will be
when your children will be free.
REFRAIN
Oh, may our hearts and minds be opened,
fling the church doors open wide.
May there be room enough for everyone inside.
For in God there is a welcome,
in God we all belong.
May that welcome be our song.
2. Oh, we sing for all the children,
that one day they be free;
and we sing for generations yet to be,
that they never have a reason
to doubt that they are blessed.
May they, in your love, find rest. Refrain
3. Oh, we pray for all the young lives
cut short by fear and shame,
so afraid of who they are and whom they love.
May the message now be banished
that Your love is for the few;
may their faith in You renew. Refrain
4. God, we’re working for the future
when children far and wide
can live their lives with dignity and pride.
As they grow in strength and stature,
may they join us hand in hand,
as against all hate we stand. Refrain
Holy One,
Forgive us for the times when we have stayed silent while so much harm has been inflicted in Your name. Open our hearts and minds, we pray; help us to reach out to those in pain, and may we be emboldened to proclaim Your boundless, welcoming love.
Amen.
Words and Music by David Lohman © 2007 Welcome Song Music