A Walk with Pride

Saturday night, Hope United will be participating in the Austin Pride Parade. We feel that it is important to stand in solidarity with our gay, lesbian, and transgender brothers and sisters, to celebrate our diversity, and to take pride in who we are—who God created us to be.
 

Often, as I look to God’s Word, I speak of the dangers of pride. We can certainly be an arrogant, selfish lot, almost always thinking of ourselves before others, and this stands in direct opposition to our Christ, Jesus the selfless one, who gave up everything, sacrificed all, all in total devotion to the One who gives us Life. And this Jesus asks us to do the same, to follow, to be disciples, to love and give and sacrifice, for God must be our everything.

Our Lord tells us to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves, but we have learned that we can’t really do that unless we love ourselves. And for some, this is a much harder task than for others. Hence, pride.

I cannot even begin to comprehend the internal struggle of someone who is gay, for our culture is still deeply prejudiced against same-gender loving people. And what is the gravest sin, in my opinion, is that people of faith have often led this charge, doing great harm to a people who God created to be that way.

God does not make mistakes. Period.

It wasn’t that long ago that gays had to suffer through “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and indeed, it is still very tough to be gay and in the military. But even so, I’ve often thought of a slogan for our church if we were targeting military gay folk.

Tired of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at your church? Come to Hope United where you can be who God created you to be!

Click here to visit the Austin Pride website.

Let me end with a poem by Marianne Williamson, which seems to be fitting for Pride. 

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be
     brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.  Your playing small
     does not serve the World.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that
     other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God
     that is within us.
It is not just in some of us;
     it is in everyone.
As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously
     give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
     our presence automatically liberates others.
 

For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. -Galatians 3:26-28

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas. Click here to visit Hope United's website.

A Walk of Prayer through Our Schools

School Supplies collected by Hope United

As I mentioned before, my church, Hope United, has felt called by God to Focus on Education. We began this journey with an initiative to collect school supplies for Annie Purl Elementary, and our folks responded with kindness and generosity!  Not only did we offer some standard classroom supplies, but we also asked if there were any specific things the school needed that was not on the list—things that normally would not be given.  After a few emails went out, we learned the art department needed tempera paint.  The counselor reported that all her Lego kits had been stolen; these were used with her counseling as well as a very active after-school program.  She also needed paint and play-doh.  And so we were able to give 9 new Lego kits, paint, watercolors, and play-doh!

This Sunday, I’ll be preaching about our responsibility to our children and how that relates to our educational system.  Further, as a congregation, we will covenant, that is make promises before God and each other, to Focus on Education.  We’ve noted three areas.  We promise to:

• Support our local community schools
• Educate ourselves about the issues
• Advocate on behalf of our children.

Also this Sunday, we will offer a prayer for our educational system.  I’ve added the prayer at the bottom of this blog, but we want to recognize, thank, and pray for all the people who are involved at our schools.

This week, I was able to meet with the principal and school counselor at Annie Purl Elementary to talk about the ways that we could partner.  We wanted to find out from them what they needed, and then see if we could assist.   I told them of our Focus on Education and how we were being called by God to get involved in helping and supporting our schools.  Though I understand the need for a separation of church and state and that our children should not be harassed or proselytized to one particular faith (or no faith), as a clergy person representing a church, I felt warmly welcomed.  I even told the principal—we are not out to proselytize or convert or force our views of faith on anyone.  We are simply here to serve.

I learned of the great need for mentors.  I have mentored in the past and know the value of being a mentor for a child, but both the principal and the school counselor practically begged me for volunteers who would commit to giving 30 minutes a week to a child.  They have several kids on a waiting list.  Please consider mentoring a child.  Every child needs to know at least one adult believes in and cares about them.  Click here to learn how.  Related to mentoring, they also asked for volunteers with their morning reading program.  The kids need to read at least 100 minutes a week, and sadly some don’t get the encouragement at home.  And so a volunteer can come at 7:30am and read with a child for about 20 minutes.  Let me know if you are interested.

But what really got me was the way the principal asked me for prayer.  Now, we have been praying for our schools and as I said we’ll be having a special blessing this Sunday, but this principal was passionate about having me come in and pray.

Whoever said they took prayer out of school anyway?  That’s just a bold faced lie.  Here I had a principal ask me to pray.  Now I won’t be praying during the morning announcements or with any of the children directly—that would not be appropriate.  We don’t force our faith on others; we go where we are invited, with respect.  But the principal wanted me to walk the halls, praying.  And if possible, to come in when school was not in session, go around to each and every chair and pray for the person who would be sitting there, so that no one would be missed.  I give thanks to God that these folks care so much about every single one of our kids!

And so, after our meeting, I walked the halls, praying.  I saw artwork outside the classrooms, teachers teaching their kids.  Some of the classes were dark while a projector was used.  There were children walking in an orderly fashion through the halls.  Yes, I saw one kid who was waiting to see the principal!  Names and artwork on the walls, bright colors and friendly faces.  It was a joy to witness dedication and commitment and a willingness to serve others.

Sadly, though things were clean and kept up, Annie Purl Elementary is quite old, built back in the time they used asbestos.  Jan names off all the people, like her, who have faced cancer and wonders if there is a connection.  Jan’s classroom and the one next door kept getting broken into so they had to put cameras outside the windows.  And as Georgetown grows, there are plenty of plans for new schools; but they also need to replace these aging ones.

I do hope you will join with me in supporting our schools, and that you will pray for them.

Here is the prayer I will offer this Sunday:

A Blessing for our Education System

As part of our Focus on Education, today we ask God’s blessing to be upon our schools and education system. Let us pray. Lord, we know that you love us and that you have created each and every one of us with value and intrinsic worth. We recognize that our education system plays a crucial part in helping our children reach their potential as gifted and creative beings. It is at school, where our children learn about this beautiful universe you have created, where our children may experience community for the first time, and where our children develop a love of learning. We ask you, O God, to bless our schools.

We pray for our teachers, thanking them for their service, sacrifice, and commitment. Give them strength and patience and creativity, a compassionate heart and a determined resolve.

We pray for all the administrators, superintendents and principals, school board members, clerical and supportive staff.

We pray for our school counselors, our nurses, and those teachers who specialize in areas of coaching, art, and music.

We pray for all the others who work at our schools in a supportive manner, the cooks and janitors and grounds crew.

We pray for our mentors and those who volunteer at the school, for the PTA and all those who give time, talent, and treasure on behalf of others.

And we pray for our parents, to be a good example for our children in the pursuit of learning, to love and encourage and be supportive, to help our children know how important this is and to hold them accountable.

And finally, we pray for our children, for their safety, for a love of learning, for fun and creativity, for persistence and determination. May our children know that people love them, believe in them, and want them to do their best.

May your hand, O God, be upon our schools, and may we know that you walk with us, always.  Amen.

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas.  Click here to visit Hope United’s website.