Thriving Through Together
UCC Minister and Team Leader for Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries Rachael Ward (they/them), offers affirmation, resources and continued covenantal commitment toward loving our neighbors OUT LOUD.
Day 1 of our incoming administration began with Executive Orders attempting to strip transgender siblings’ rights under the guise of protecting womxn.
I want to be clear: Control of Gender and how we perform Gender is a means of restricting personhood and God. For if each human hosts the Imago Dei within it, then restricting life in bloom, is a blatant attempt to restrict God’s creation in bloom.
In fact, Adam, or in Biblical Hebrew – the Adamah – was a genderless being created by God. In our Genesis, God leaves us instructions: less gender hierarchy; more communal care of humanity and the planet. The only performance God cares about is how we love one another well. That’s not ideology, that’s grace.
Advocating against measures, like these, will require our unified efforts. In our house of difference and diversity, it is our unity that will see us through, and I still believe in us. It may be difficult to recognize in the chaos of this moment, but love is still on display. In every phone call, text and email you’re receiving from friends and loved ones there is proof of love in action.
Love is still the greatest non-violent gift we can offer one another in thriving through and overcoming empire.
As siblings in Christ, we have the antidote to this moment. We simply must believe in our power as people in covenant to love one another through this and into a new moment of liberation. Thriving through this moment is possible and we’ll find our way through together with God’s help. Our Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries team will be with you every step of the way ushering love through alongside you.
How to Prepare for ‘Such a Time as This’
UCC Minister and Team Lead for Gender & Sexuality Justice Ministries Rachael Ward (they/them) | A note from the author: This commentary is written for and with LGBTQIA+ Community & Womxn specifically; however, its sentiment and offerings are practices of freedom for all of us.
This moment we’re in will require communal care and deep awareness of our embodied selves. Naturally, this is exactly what empire, and fascist behavior would like for us to forget.
Reality stands to be true before history and onward that our queer bodies have existed before this moment and will after this moment, always. There is no use in arguing our humanity to others. As a Christian, I believe God never desires for us to argue our humanity. God desires our thriving despite evil; despite hatred – because God’s love is greater than both.
1 – Release Arguing for Your Humanity; Embrace Your Beloved Self Now
Over a decade ago, I abandoned the isolated work of arguing for my humanity. I began to unravel false narratives about my body, mind and spirit. I continue to work tirelessly and joyously to mirror my humanity thriving through adversity and being honest when I’m terrified. I consider this the first practice of preparing for this moment.
Yes, this moment onward will require our resistance, persistence, and presence in the movement of justice, love, mercy and grace. We will win because love endures all things and love always outcasts hatred. We will win because our ancestors did. We will thrive because our ancestors told us to. We will live boldly because God desires us too. And we will seek, create, and care for our communities and our people because the playbook for how was written decades ago.
Here are practices to support Embrace of Your Beloved Self:
- Journal every day (morning or evening) to release what doesn’t belong to you and what does. Note gratitude, people who have loved you well and how you’ve given love to yourself. Cut through the noise of this chaotic moment by channeling peace.
- Start a text thread, a Signal group chat, an in-person weekly hang with your people. The people who see you and know you to sew in laughter, cooking meals together, asking for your shared needs and resourcing them. Community will take us far at this moment. Community is the breath of life in real time.
2 – Befriend Your Elders and Learn from Our Ancestors
One of the greatest gifts to our lives is the relationships we can have with our elders (those who came before us and are still living with us) and learning from our ancestors (those who came before us and are no longer living with us).
- For me, the elders I have, I text or have scheduled calls with to inquire, listen, and be reminded we can get through this together.
- The ancestors I listen to, are individuals like Audre Lorde and bell hooks. A place to begin your search is within books and podcasts.
Charis Books & More, a 50-year-old Independent Feminist bookstore, has wonderful resources and book recommendations. Befriend and commune with our elders and ancestors to grieve, learn, grow and remember we’ve been here before and created liberation along the way.
3 – Rest & Relaxation
I think, unfortunately, within marginalized communities rest is a concept more than a practice. It’s a product of capitalism and empire. And we can take that back in our lifetime. If you’re exhausted and can’t think through what to do next, rest. If you’re weepy and need to cry, let it all out. Rest & Release is essential to our thriving through and staying grounded. It is always ok to take a reprieve.
Here’s a beautiful virtual offering on reclaiming practices of stillness happening Feb 2, 6 PM EST through Charis that may be a lovely starting point of re-entering rest & release.
I hope these practices will help soothe and remind us that our bodies are our own. No language, clause or policy can strip that truth from us.