Love and Care for LGBTQ By Rev. Regan Saoirse

The personal is political, and so is the ethical and moral.

What are your most important values? Are they rooted in your faith somehow? Are you scared because your values are not being shown in our State Houses? In Washington DC? In the White House? Are you afraid for the people you love? For people you don’t know but love anyway? What can we do about it?

As a chaplain, I saw the repercussions of poverty, racism, homelessness, and LGBTQ hatred and intolerance far too often. The constant micro-aggressions and slip-ups from staff members while I was in the closet about sexuality and gender hurt and reminded me that people do try to be professional with patients while holding onto belief systems that contradict with who the patient is as a person. However, they don’t make it part of their ethic to be that way in life and in heart. And we, as people of faith and values that go beyond dogma and highlight love for all, must work harder at portraying the values that make us better human beings. The Golden Rule. Love. Hospitality to the Stranger. These are things we share not only as Christians, but with many other faiths and people across the globe. But what can we do with what seems to be the loss of those values within our government?

A good way to help with freedom of speech, racial equality, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and public health and safety — including hunger and housing, climate change, and wealth equality — is to speak up! The UCC has people in Washington DC, and they activate letter and call campaigns as well as schedule education opportunities. Check them out! And as always, talk with others about this. We can all help each other understand what is happening, and we can pray.

Pray for your own peace of mind and heart along with praying for those who make decisions and need our help. They will rely even more on the generosity of churches who accept and love their whole being.

Website: UCC Washington DC Office Website

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