LGBT SUNDAY

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Dominique Atchison, Guest Lectionary Liturgist, is a graduate of Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.

Gabrie’l J. Atchison, Guest Lectionary Liturgist, holds a Ph.D. in Women’s Studies and is actively involved with the Unity Fellowship and Metropolitan Community Churches.

Worship Planning Notes

Your LGBT Sunday service should focus on the themes of healing, reconciliation, and celebration. People who object to homosexuality often say things like “God hates the sin but loves the sinner.” Their view of homosexual people is limited to sexual acts. Members of the LGBT community believe that being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender is an essential part of who they are. Many on the side who oppose homosexuality believe that homosexuals can simply change their behavior (like quitting smoking), and homosexuals are saying “God made me this way” and “It is not a sin to be who I am.” Listening and understanding are needed by both sides.

Focusing on God’s unconditional love for us all is a good starting point for having this discussion. Churches often have their first discussions about LGBT issues during debates around Marriage Equality. This often proves to be too explosive a starting place. Instead, try starting from a place of mutual understanding. If we can start the conversation from a place of love rather than a place of fear, the Church can be a place of healing and affirmation of God’s love.

Nothing is more painful for African Americans than being expelled from the community. When LGBT members of the African American community are pushed out or thrown out of their churches for being honest about who they are they often turn their backs on the Church and may even walk away from God. Churches must stop pushing away members of God’s family just because of their sexual identity. And we have to make amends to those we have injured. The church needs to provide spaces for healing. It is not loving to chastise, humiliate, abuse, or assault anyone regardless of your understanding of biblical Scripture.

There are only a handful of places in the Bible which mention homosexual acts at all and not one is mentioned by Jesus. On the other hand, there are many, many instances where “mercy,” “grace,” and ‘love” are mentioned in the Bible, and that’s where we should look to figure out how to treat each other. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8, NRSV).

Even when we believe the Scriptures are without error, it is a mistake to think that our understanding of Scripture is never without error. This is especially true throughout the history of the Church. The Church has condemned everyone from the astronomer Copernicus, to Africans brought as slaves to America, to homosexuals, although the Bible does not address homosexuality as we understand it today. Historically, people’s misunderstanding of the Bible has left a trail of suffering, bloodshed, and death. People within the LGBT community still face all three depending upon where they live in the world. Now is the time for people who believe in love and justice to say so regarding God’s love for LGBT persons.

Now is the right time to end the discrimination and suffering brought against homosexual people in the name of “what the Bible says.” Ultimately, whatever the Bible contains, its essential message, is that God loves and cares for humanity and wants humanity to treat each other the same way.

1. Invocation, Litany, or Congregational Reading
(a) Invocation: Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

(b) Responsive Reading: 1 John 4:11-12, 17-21 (NRSV)

(c) Prayer: Water on a Rock by Gabrie’l J. Atchison

You are the Source from whom all blessings flow
All of us are your children, and we are one human family
God, forgive us
We have pushed away members of our family,
Your children
Because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender
Like water dripping on a rock
Little by little we’ve worn away people’s spirits
In despair, they’ve left our communities
Our actions have caused them great harm
Someone I love is a member of a sexual minority
Let me seek your face in his face
Someone I love is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender
Let me seek your face in her face
Help me show love, care, compassion, and mercy
Like you have shown to me

Provide us with opportunities to grow and change
Hear our prayer
Heal our community
In Jesus’ name
Amen.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) “And They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” By Peter Scholtes. Tune, (ST. BRENDAN’S).

(b) Make Us One. By Carol Cymbala. Tune, (MAKE US ONE).

(c) Something Within. By Lucie E. Campbell. Tune, (SOMETHING WITHIN).

(d) Unity. By Glorraine Moone. Tune, (BEHOLD HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT IT IS).

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) I’ve Been ‘Buked. Traditional. Arr. by Hall Johnson

(b) Scandalized My Name. Traditional. Arr. by Damon H. Dandridge

(c) Ain’t Got Time to Die. Arr. by Hall Johnson

4. Modern Songs
(a) Even Me. Arr. by Michael Reid

(b) I’m Walking. By Donald McClurkin

(c) Please Don’t Pass Me By. By Fred Hammond, Tommie Walker, and Kim Rutherford

(d) New Season. By Israel Houghton and Derick W. Thomas

(e) A Brand New Day (Everybody Rejoice). By Luther Vandross

5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) I Need You to Survive. By Hezekiah Walker

(b) Stand. By Donnie McClurkin

(c) Center of My Joy. By Richard Smallwood and William Gaither

6. Anthems
(a) Let There Be Peace on Earth. By Sy Miller

(b) Oh God Our Help in Ages Past. By Isaac Watts

(c) My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord. Arr. by Moses Hogan

(d) Your Love Divine. By Richard Smallwood

7. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Welcome to My Father’s House. By V. Michael McKay. Tune, (WELCOME TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE).

(b) We Bring Sacrifice and Praise. By Kirk Dearman

(c) Come Thou Fount of Many Blessings. By Robert Robinson

8. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Prayer to the One. By Carol Maillard

(b) Love Lifted Me. Instrumental. By James Rowe

(c) Jesus Loves the Little Children. Instrumental. By Clare H. Woolston

9. Sermonic Selection
(a) I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired. By Curtis Burrell

(b) Changed My Name. By Tom Kindzia

(c) Changed. By Walter Hawkins

(d) For God So Loved the World. By Lanny Wolfe

10. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) Just as I Am. By Charlotte Elliott

(b) I Give Myself Away. By William McDowell

(c) Jesus Promised Me a Home. By H. Lutton

11. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) Let the Church Say Amen. By Andraé Crouch

(b) A Change Is Gonna Come. By Sam Cook

(c) Oh How He Loves You and Me. By Kurt Kaiser

(d) God Will Take Care of You by Walter Hawkins

12. Benediction Spoken
(a) Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)

(b) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

13. Audio Visual Suggestions
(a) Maryland Voices of Equality [Maryland Black Family Alliance]
Part One:

Part Two:

(b) Interview with Carl Bean, author of I Was Born This Way

14. Other Recommendations

(a) Hold a film viewing followed by a discussion and/or hold a book discussion. Consider the following resources:

• Voices of Witness Africa (Online location: www.voicesofwitness.org/africa/index.html). Anglican men and women from across the continent tell their stories of intolerance and community, of secrecy and hope, of facing challenges and seeking dignity as people of faith who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered.
  
  
• A Jihad for Love (2007). A documentary on gay, lesbian, and transgender Muslims across the Muslim and Western worlds.
  
  
• For the Bible Tells Me So (2007). An exploration of the intersection between religion and homosexuality in the U.S. and how the religious right has used its interpretation of the Bible to stigmatize the gay community.
  
  
• Bowens, Rev. Marilyn. Ready to Answer: Why “Homophobic Church” Is an Oxymoron. AuthorHouse, 2011.
  
  
• Bean, Archbishop Carl, with David Ritz. I Was Born This Way: A Gay Preacher’s Journey through Gospel Music, Disco Stardom, and a Ministry in Christ. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2010.

(b) Make Testimonies a part of your service: Ask a member of the LGBT community to give a testimony on their journey with God and relationship. Also, ask someone who has an LGBT family member to talk about his or her journey towards understanding and acceptance.

(c) Other Resources

• Farajajé-Jones, Elias. “Breaking Silence: Toward an In-The-Life Theology,” in Cone, James H. and Gayraud S. Wilmore, eds. Black Theology: A Documentary History, Volume Two: 1980–1992. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1992.
  
  
• Oliveto, Karen P., Kelly D. Turney, and Traci C. West. Holy Conversations: Talking about Homosexuality: A Congregational Resource. Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press, 2005. This six-week discussion guide using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral helps groups reflect on Christian beliefs and personal experiences about sexual orientation. Through conversation, study, and exercises, participants engage in thoughtful, spiritual discussion about sexuality and spirituality.
  
  
• Monroe, Irene. “Unholy Matrimony: The Black Church and the Christian Right,” 2004. Online location: http://www.irenemonroe.com/2004/03/24/unholy-matrimony-the-black-church-the-christian-right/
  
  
• Monroe, Irene. “No Marriage Between Black Ministers and Queer Community,” 2004. Online location: http://www.irenemonroe.com/2004/06/02/no-marriage-between-black-ministers-and-queer-community/
  
  
• The Human Rights Campaign has additional resources on Religion and Sexuality and a list of LGBT Affirming Congregations. Online location: http://www.hrc.org/resources/category/religion-faith
  
  
• The Unity Fellowship Church Movement is an African American LGBT affirming denomination. Online location: http://www.unityfellowshipchurch.org

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

1. Invocation, Litany, or Congregational Reading
(a) Invocation: Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Online location: http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pray0027.htm

(b) Responsive Reading: 1 John 4:11-12, 17-21 (NRSV).
Scripture quotation taken from The New Student Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Copyright © 1994 by The Zondervan Corporation.

(c) Prayer: “Water on a Rock ” by Gabrie’l Atchison. Unpublished poem, 2012.