Love is Love – 30 years on

(This prayer is an amalgamation of 2-3 other prayers written for various “rainbow” celebrations.)

Let us pray for our community and our world.

O god who we create from the sum of all we know
that is wonderful, generous, just and wise
Creative spirit, Ground of our Being, Christ within:
God, Goddess and Gaia; Cosmic parent and Pentecostal flame

may we see you in the god-ness of others
and ourselves in their image of you.

Oh god who changes through time
who appears in different guises,
in wind and fire, in storm and in stranger
whose names are numerous and whose voices are many

may we hear Sophia Wisdom in canticles and ballads,
workers’ songs and lullabies
hear her sing in wilderness and marketplace.
When news headlines remind us of our vulnerable humanity,
of the violence so close beneath the skin even in this beautiful land,
we are aware that there is still bullying and homophobia in our schools
families torn by violence we call “domestic”
prejudice against those we don’t understand.

In a month when we celebrate the anniversary of Homosexual Law Reform
and grieve for the lives of queer people of colour killed in Orlando, and
for gay, lesbian, trans and bisexual people who’ve died throughout the years,
and still die – at the hands of others or by suicide,
because although they wear your face, their world does not welcome them,
we are glad the UN Human Rights Council voted to appoint an expert
to combat homophobia and violence against LGBTQ people
across the globe, and pray they will be effective.

We celebrate and honour the men, women and gender fluid people
who marched and petitioned and wore their rainbow colours proudly
no matter the personal cost.
We honour those who still march, and vote, and sing
and who share their stories, in person and online.

On this anniversary of legislative change
which recognised that love is love,
regardless of gender or sexuality or orientation,
we celebrate our covenant to be an inclusive church community.
May all know we are Christians by our love.

In the lead-up to this year’s Presbyterian General Assembly,
may we find ways to talk with and relate to others in our national church,
so the inclusive way of Jesus, will be recognised and restored.
We give thanks that, in this special place
we proudly fly our rainbow banners, giving thanks that we are family
– extended, reconstituted, recreated –
that there is room for us all, in our diversity and similarity.

—————-

Oh god who manifests in rainbow ways,
as ancient wisdom and holy fool
as genderqueer, ungendered, cis and bi, straight and diverse
as prophet, story-spinner, jester and sage

be in the songs we sing
the wine we pour
the food we share.

Amen