I spent the last five days in Austin with Nathan and his partner Abel. It was a lovely, relaxing vacation in my favorite (non-New York) city, spent with my dearest friend. Good times were had by all.
The timing of my trip just happened to coincide with Austin Gay Pride weekend. Since moving back to Austin, Nathan has started to go to the University Baptist Church. This is a place I always wanted to go while I lived in Austin. While we were in school at UT, UBC became notorious because it had chosen to disaffiliate itself with the Southern Baptist Convention and decided to become a welcoming and affirming church, something very bold even in a liberal mecca such as Austin. On Thursday night, while I was there, the church hosted a Gay Pride Unity Service. This service brought together people from many different faith traditions to show unity and solidarity as a community, and to worship together. The experience of being in a room full of people who have taken refuge in this church, many of whom have been rejected by their families and faith communities because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, was simply profound. People being able to rest there and fully feel a part of a community of faith, knowing that there is safety and acceptance for them and their partners and their children and families.
And so I feel renewed. There are so many grave injustices that we encounter everyday that seem insurmountable. But this is not one of them. Every one of us who is part of a community of faith has the power to undo this. The power to extend a hand, open a door, open a heart and see justice done.
At the end of the service, one of the choruses sang a song called, Draw the Circle Wide. This is what we must seek to do...draw the circle wide, wide enough for everyone to stand inside. Everyone. Everyone, EVERYONE. No one stands outside.
Draw the circle wide. Draw it wider still.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone, standing side by side,
Draw the circle wide.
God the still point of the circle Round whom all creation turns;
Nothing lost, but held forever, in God’s gracious arms.
Let our hearts touch far horizons. So encompass great and small;
Let our loving know no borders, faithful to God’s call.
Let the dreams we dream be larger. Than we've ever dreamed before;
Let the dream of Christ be in us, open every door.
Let this be our song, no one stands alone, standing side by side,
Draw the circle wide.
God the still point of the circle Round whom all creation turns;
Nothing lost, but held forever, in God’s gracious arms.
Let our hearts touch far horizons. So encompass great and small;
Let our loving know no borders, faithful to God’s call.
Let the dreams we dream be larger. Than we've ever dreamed before;
Let the dream of Christ be in us, open every door.
