I've been thinking a lot about what Michelle wrote last month in the Conference Newsletter, especially the "contradictions" in the Sermon on the Mount. I keep wondering, "How Jesus might preach his Beatitudes of Matthew 5 to our Revoice community?" The word beatitudes means blessed or even “the good life,” and it makes me wonder, how is the “Side B” community uniquely blessed by Jesus.

It is no secret that so many LGBTQ+/SSA disciples have withstood trauma, disappointment, and significant confusion about their place in God's story. This masterpiece serves as a clarion reminder that Jesus has been with you throughout every moment of suffering. Although God's plan may be unfolding differently than you imagined, God is actively writing a larger cosmic story in which you play a crucial role.

He is risen! He is risen, indeed. Happy Easter to you all.

Spring in North America is a time for planting seeds and seeing new shoots emerge from the ground. I don’t have my own garden or much of a green thumb, but I am very proud that I’ve managed to keep my fiddle-leaf fig tree alive (so far).

Lately, Jesus’ parable about planting seeds has been on my mind:

With all that in mind, I don't fault a church that asks me to get coffee when I seek clarity on their beliefs. In fact, I understand and assume that the pastor is meaning to offer me more effort and kindness, believing I deserve better than an email.

But it seems like sometimes my pastor friends feel torn between offering me clarity or kindness as if the two are mutually exclusive. But as the modern sage Brene Brown says, "Clarity is kind."

If you aren't already familiar with Henry Ossawa Tanner, I highly encourage you to meet him. He was one of the most highly-regarded African-American painters of the nineteenth century–without question a challenging time for a Black artist. Tanner is best known for his paintings of African-American life as well as his striking renditions of biblical scenes. In his generation, his perspective as a Black Christian artist was utterly unique.

As a surprise to pretty much nobody, I’m a bit of a loud person. Not just in my speaking volume, though I’ve been “shushed” in my share of environments, but in the amount of noise I create around me. My roommate often nudges me to put my earbuds on as I start chopping carrots for my dinner because my phone is blaring whatever silly little reality show I have on in the background.

But all these well-meaning "welcomes" leave me clueless as I try to find a church to belong to. I'm not looking for a church where I am merely welcome—I'm looking for a church where I'll be loved, edified, and discipled. I'm looking for a church that will see me as part of the body of Christ, with gifts to offer and holiness to pursue.

Our February masterpiece is Jesus Christ Pantocrator, a Byzantine mosaic from the 12th-13th centuries located at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The word “Pantocrator” means “ruler of all,” and Pantocrator images were some of the most common depictions of Christ in the ancient Byzantine church.