An Old Prayer Marks A New Year At Church

[VickySGV]

This coming Sunday begins week 53 of being fully out at my church as myself. For 22 years they had known me as a male, but this year they have know me as my true self, and have accepted me openly.

Sunday is also our celebration of The Feast Of St, Francis of Assisi, and there will be an outdoor service for a blessing of the animals. As last year, its my rotation to be an intercessory prayer reader. Last year, they had known my transition was coming, but taking part in the service for the first time as me was a surprise, but a happy one to them. It has been a full and active year, more so than I can remember it ever being my old self, but then, I feel happier and ready to be active.

Part of what I will be reading again is the prayer that is attributed to Sl. Francis where Francis is asking to be made an instrument of God's peace. To me, this has always been a special prayer and one that I feel deeply about. I used it in my Lenten Discipline last year, and put its full text in a post I made back then. Peace of the nature that Francis describes is one that I believe all transgendered Christians are specially equipped to follow. We are aware of our most inner and resurrected selves so that our peace comes forth much more than it does in most non-trans people. Like Francis, we have given away our worldly selves, selves wrapped up in doing what others think is right for us, and are living our own unique spiritual paths. I want to be one who "sows light where there is darkness" because others who say I am not in the Christian faith for being Trans, are the ones truly in the dark.

This past summer the general convention of my national church adopted new canons that specifically include trans and gender varient people in all offices of laiety and clegy. It has indeed been a great and wonderful year.

[Michelle 2010]

Wonderful prayer and a wonderful post Vicky.

As one who has just embraced, and been embraced, by a church, I am so happy for you. That your transition has not altered your relationship with the church, is a testament to their committment to serving and honoring a loving God, rather than a judgemental exclusionary one.

The Prayer of St Francis will probably alway be one of my favorites. When I came to believe there was indeed a God, and that our mission is to serve his Will not have him serve ours, I needed a roadmap on what to do... For anyone who has lost his/her way and wants to begin a relationship with God, I find this a wonderful program of action. As the saying goes..."Faith without Works is Dead".

Again, congratulations on a special year in your life.

Michelle