Wednesday Word from Rev. Grace: National Day of Prayer for LGBTQIA+ Youth.

Friends -

I often talk about the years I spent as a school chaplain before serving with St. Thomas because I learned so much in that role.

One year, the science lab teacher brought in pictures of finches that had recently hatched at his home. The young birds were unique. One side of their bodies displayed a female feather pattern. The other side displayed a male feather pattern. This happens sometimes in nature, he explained, particularly with animals that display clear sex differences, like some birds and butterflies. The technical term is gynandromorphism. Scientists don't yet know why this happens; they just know it does.

I share that story because I recently received an email promoting an event this Friday - a National Day of Prayer for LGBTQIA+ Youth. The goal is to have 1.8 million people in the US pray for the safety, well-being, and flourishing of these beautiful young people. The number 1.8 million was chosen to represent the estimated 1.8 million LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 24 who seriously consider or attempt suicide each year.

That number should break our hearts. Sadly, it appears that religious young people are even more at risk. Rather than hear the good news that they are God's beloved they hear messages that destroy them on the inside. I am grateful that St. Thomas seeks to be a safe and loving community for all young people.

We should not equate my colleague's finches with the entire human LGBTQIA+ population, but these special birds did help me recognize that God creates great variety in animals and in people. We don't always understand our differences. We do know that we are called to love one another across our differences and seek the flourishing of everything God made.

So join me this Friday in praying for all young people, particularly LGBTQIA+ young people. Sign up here if you want to be counted among the 1.8 million. Pray for their safety, well-being, and flourishing. Pray for their families and allies. Pray for their schools and teachers. Let young people know you are praying for them. Give thanks for the marvelous diversity of God's creation and the privilege of being part of it. Let's keep working to create a world where all young people know they are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Blessings -
Grace

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Information about LGBTQ inclusion in The Episcopal Church is here.
Several Pride resources curated by the Episcopal Church Foundation are listed here.
Several prayers for Pride Month collected by Episcopal Migration Ministries are available here.