As we acknowledge Pride season this Sunday we look forward to gathering—to boldly celebrate the lives and contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. It is a time of joy and of seeking justice, where tolerance is never enough. Our call is to fiercely celebrate the great diversity that God loved into being, and to centre the lived experience of those made marginal by cis-gendered hetero-normativity. ( Rev. Carmen Lansdowne)
This Sunday we will acknowledge that God blesses and calls ALL to experiences of love and abundance.
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.