Thursday, August 18, 2024

A Taylor-Made Laying on of Hands

Rev. Dr. Darrell Cluck

You would have thought what made the worship at University Baptist Church, Austin, Texas most remarkable the morning of July 28^th would have been the monthly theme of “The Gospel According to Taylor Swift,” the opening meditation quote from a Taylor Swift song, a Taylor Swift song called “Change” as the anthem, and the sermon by Rev. Natalie Webb, a magnificent mashup of passages from Isaiah and Revelation with Taylor Swift lyrics. As remarkable as all of that was, what was most remarkable was what followed the sermon when congregants, one by one, laid hands upon the head or shoulders of the woman sitting before them, thereby ordaining her as Deacon. I went last to offer the Ordination Prayer for Rowena Jean Cluck. I am her father, a proud father of a transgender woman, the first transgender person to be ordained as Deacon at UBC. I am a Baptist minister and was prepared to offer a classic, theologically correct prayer, but I was unprepared for the wave of emotion which shelved it. Instead, I held my daughter tightly and blubbered a prayer for her and for all the transgender daughters and sons whose mothers and fathers, and families, and friends will not stand with them and embrace them for all to see. Finally, I thanked God for this Alliance of Baptist congregation at University, Austin who named, claimed, and celebrated the gifts of my transgender girl. Who would have thought that Superstar Taylor Swift would have been upstaged by Deacon Rowena Jean?

Opening Hymn: Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer John Hughes, a railroad official by trade, composed this tune for the 1907 anniversary of Capel Rhondda, Pontypridd, Wales. Cwm Rhondda refers to the "low valley" area surrounding the urban district of Rhondda in Southern Wales.

Middle Hymn: I've Got Peace Like a River Most of the spirituals that drew from biblical stories and images used the Hebrew scriptures, rather than the New Testament, as their inspiration. The imagery of "peace like a river" derives from the book of Isaiah.

The Anthem: Precious Lord Take My Hand by George Allen and arranged by Roy Ringwald. Text by Joyce Merman.

The Closing Hymn: Be Still, My Soul Little is known about Katherine von Schlegel, the author of twenty-six hymns, except that she seems to have been a member of the duke's court at Cothen, Germany. The tune is adapted from an orchestral work by Finland's great composer Jean Sibelius.

We Celebrate Birthdays with...

Konnor Keen (19th)

as he celebrates his birthday

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL FUN

SEEKERS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

This Sunday Rev. Jillian's Seekers Sunday School Class begins a new book, "My Body is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church" by Amy Kenny.

Please read the Preface and first chapter for discussion this Sunday.

Reading Schedule 

August 18 - A Note on Language, Preface, Chapter 1

August 25 - Chapter 2 

September 1 - Chapters 3 & 4

September 8 - Chapter 5

September 15 - Chapter 6

September 22 - Chapters 7 & 8

September 29 - Chapters 9 & 10 

AFTER CHUCH FELLOWSHIP

In order to continue our after church fellowship, we need folks to volunteer to provide drinks and snacks. Please see the sign-up sheet in the hall outside the pastor's office!

Please, NO items with icing or "gooey" stuff. This is getting into our rugs and embedded into the concrete floors.

BOOK CLUB - SEPTEMBER 10 AT 6PM

Our next book is "The Trouble with Goats and Sheep" by Joanna Cannon. We will have potluck and discussion in the home of Debi Chandler on Tuesday, September 10 at 6pm.

PUB THEOLOGY - SEPTEMBER 19

Thursday, August 15 at 7pm at The Fat Pelican!

FALL FOLLIES ON SEPTEMBER 22

On September 22 at 6pm join us as

Northminster's Got Talent!

Our annual Fall Follies will be a great time for all. To participate, please see the sign-up sheet in the hall and add your name and the talent you will perform.

AUGUST MISSION EMPHASIS:

COA - FOOD PANTRY

Trunk Needs: ***Dire need for canned meat, canned chili, tamales, cornedbeef, chicken, tuna, chicken and dumplings…anything that is a meal in a can basically, and canned fruit and soups such as chicken noodle or any of the chunky soups especially noodles, rice, peanut butter, jelly, boxed non-perishable food items—they DO NOT NEED canned corn, peas, and green beans.

The floral offering on Sunday, August 18 was given to the Glory of God

and in honor of the Youth of Northminster

Arranged by Peggy Burns

Dear Northminster,

My name is Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, and starting next week, I will be taking up a new role as Interfaith Alliance’s Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy.

This is a proud and exciting moment for me, as someone who has spent over a decade working at the intersection of religion, politics and public policy. In previous positions at the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, the Center for American Progress and other organizations, I’ve worked on some of the most important social justice issues of our time: religious freedom, democracy, LGBTQ rights, reproductive freedom, immigration, anti-Muslim bigotry, and more.

I’ve been honored to partner with Interfaith Alliance on critical campaigns and projects – like the battle to stop unlicensed chaplains from being forced into our public schools, and advocacy for the Equality Act. I’m joining Interfaith Alliance at a critical moment for American democracy, and for the question of what it means to truly support religious freedom in our country.

The challenge before us is clear. If authoritarianism comes to the United States, it will sadly come under the guise of Christianity.

To stop authoritarianism in its tracks, diverse faith communities must come together to defeat Christian nationalism – and we must model its antithesis, by celebrating and embracing religious pluralism. Every single person involved with Interfaith Alliance has a part to play in that work.

I am both a realist and an optimist. The challenges we face are very real – from a radicalized Supreme Court that seems hellbent on dismantling the separation of church and state, to elected leaders and political candidates who want to turn “religious freedom” into a license to discriminate against all those who don’t conform to their narrow-minded vision of what an American should look and act like.

At the same time, we have incredible opportunities to meet this moment and move our country forward. So many people across the country are energized to defend religious pluralism, and to build bridges and connections across divides of faith and belief.

I’m so excited to get started on work with our allies in Congress, with our affiliates and partners, and with supporters like you. Next week, I’ll be joining my new colleagues at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, hitting the ground running to advance our goals and build the partnerships we need to advance our goals and uplift our values.

Let’s achieve our democracy – together.

Yours,

Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons

Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy