Sermon Excerpt from today's Mpls Strib: made me cry it was so good.

[grannylib]

The sermon was by a Rev. James Gertmenian, from Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. He was speaking in particular to GLBT members and their families and friends, about their concerns over the current climate of hatred and discrimination directed towards them.

"I understand your fear. Many of us here at Plymouth do. But I want to remind you that this spasm of hatred is the lashing out of a dying dragon. This dragon, homophobia, is angry because it is dying. And it is frightened because it is dying. And in its anger and fear it may seem stronger than it really is. But it is dying.
"What is being born is the love of God which will show forth in a time in which your God-given value will be recognized by all. In the meantime, though, I want you to know this: in THIS place, and in THIS family, you need not be afraid. Even if every state in the Union were to pass an amendment, these walls stand to protect you. This is a sanctuary where your lives will be celebrated, and your loves blessed, and your relationships honored. And from this place we will go out and fight together for human rights for all. That is a solemn covenant which we here make with one another.
And woe to this church if it should ever break that covenant, for in so doing it will have broken its own heart."

[Tace]

1. Wow! Good Preacher

[kcr]

2. Link?

[grannylib]

3. No, sorry, I checked the Strib site and they have a link to Bob Jones'

letter to Chimpy about how he was ordained by God to lead Jesusland for the next four years, but no link to this one. The whole sermon was not printed, just an excerpt, and I pretty much put it all in.

[TexasProgresive]

5. They haven't posted the current sermon yet

my guess is that it will be tomorrow. Save this link-

http://www.plymouth.org/min-staff02.htm

[peacetalksforall]

4. Beautiful, just beautiful....

I am overwhelmed by the love and beauty in his heart and the way he expressed it.

Rare.

[proudbluestater]

6. Powerful Sermon My faith is renewed

in organized Christianity. Not that I ever lost faith completely, but with all the hatred screaming through, it's nice to hear the quiet whispers of God's love, too.