Church for LGBT - Open Table MCC - Philippines

So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them. When the eighth day came, it was time to circumcise the child, and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:16-21 (NRSVUE) Ano ba ang Queer Theology? Sa pinakasimple nitong paliwanag, ang Queer Theology ay isang paraan ng pag-unawa sa Diyos, pananampalataya, at teolohiya mula sa perspektibo ng mga taong matagal nang nasa laylayan — lalo na ang LGBTQ+ community. Hindi ito simpleng pagdagdag ng bagong label sa teolohiya. Sa halip, ito ay isang paanyaya na tanungin ang mga matagal nang itinuturing na “normal,” “natural,” o “tanging tama” sa loob ng pananampalataya. Queer Theology asks: Sino ang may boses sa teolohiya? Kaninong karanasan ang itinuturing na mahalaga? At sino ang matagal nang hindi naririnig? Teolohiya Mula sa Karanasan Sa tradisyunal na teolohiya, kadalasan ang boses na nangingibabaw ay: lalaki heterosexual nasa kapangyarihan bahagi ng dominanteng kultura Ngunit sa Queer Theology, nagsisimula tayo sa karanasan ng mga taong matagal nang isinantabi — mga taong sinabihang hindi sila kabilang, hindi sila banal, o hindi sila sapat. Dito, ang karanasan ng pagiging queer ay hindi hadlang sa pananampalataya. Ito ay nagiging daan upang mas malalim na maunawaan ang Diyos. Pagbawi sa Salitang “Queer” Ang salitang queer ay minsang ginamit bilang insulto. Ngunit sa paglipas ng panahon, ito ay binawi at ginawang simbolo ng: pagtutol sa mapanupil na pamantayan pagtanggap sa pagkakaiba pagdiriwang ng identidad Sa konteksto ng teolohiya, ang pagiging “queer” ay hindi lamang tungkol sa sekswalidad o kasarian. Ito ay tumutukoy sa anumang pananaw na: humahamon sa nakasanayang sistema naglalantad ng hindi pagkakapantay-pantay nagbibigay-boses sa mga nasa laylayan Ang Diyos sa Gilid, Hindi Lang sa Gitna Isa sa pinakamahalagang paalala ng Queer Theology ay ito: Ang Diyos ay hindi lamang matatagpuan sa sentro ng kapangyarihan — kundi sa gilid, kasama ng mga itinulak palayo. Makikita natin ito sa maraming kuwento ng pananampalataya: sa mga itinaboy ng lipunan sa mga itinuturing na “makasalanan” sa mga walang lugar sa templo Sa mga kuwentong ito, ang banal ay hindi natatakot sa pagkakaiba. Sa halip, doon ito namumukadkad. Isang Paanyaya, Hindi Isang Banta Para sa ilan, ang Queer Theology ay tila pagbabanta sa tradisyon. Ngunit para sa marami, ito ay paanyaya: na palawakin ang ating pag-unawa sa pag-ibig ng Diyos na kilalanin ang dignidad ng bawat tao na gawing mas makatarungan ang ating pananampalataya Hindi nito sinisira ang pananampalataya. Sa halip, tinatanong nito kung paano tayo magiging mas tapat sa mensahe ng pag-ibig, katarungan, at awa. Sa Huli Ang Queer Theology ay hindi lamang teorya. Ito ay buhay na karanasan ng mga taong patuloy na naghahanap ng lugar sa loob ng pananampalataya — at natutuklasan na ang Diyos ay matagal na nilang kasama. Ito ay paalala na ang pag-ibig ng Diyos ay hindi limitado ng ating mga kahon. At marahil, ang tanong ay hindi kung may lugar ba ang queer sa teolohiya — kundi kung handa ba ang teolohiya na kilalanin ang Diyos na matagal nang kumikilos sa gilid. The post Queer Theology Revealed appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:16-19 (NRSVUE) One of the central questions of liberation theology is: Who are the poor, and who are the oppressed? It asks us to look closely—not at poverty in name only, but at genuine poverty. It challenges us to identify who truly bears the weight of injustice. Liberation theology teaches that God actively participates in the work of justice and transformation. This work is not merely human effort; it is God’s own work unfolding in the world. At the same time, we—especially as Christians—are invited to participate in that divine work. At Open Table MCC, we are clear about one thing: we are not a triumphalist church. We do not claim to be the answer to all the world’s problems. God’s work is far bigger than any single church. MCC is only one of many communities—alongside other churches, organizations, and even other religions—that take part in God’s larger movement toward justice. Naming Injustice and Upholding Dignity A key element of liberation theology is the recognition that systemic injustice and oppression exist—in society, in our country, and even within institutions, including the church. Because of this, liberation theology asks us to examine structures of oppression: Where are they found? How do they operate? And how do they violate human dignity and the dignity of creation? Faith, in this view, is not just about heaven, the soul, or the afterlife. While spirituality matters, faith is also physical and material. It is lived out in solidarity with others. If God cares deeply for creation and for human dignity, then we too must care for the well-being of every person and of the earth itself. This theology is incarnational and critical. It encourages critical thinking and honest questioning. Faith is not blind obedience to religious authority. We are called to ask difficult questions—especially when oppression, discrimination, or injustice is present. A Communal Faith, Not an Individual One Liberation theology resists highly individualistic expressions of Christianity. Salvation is not just about “me and God.” It is communal and collective. In the same way, sin is not only personal. One of the failures of modern Christianity is reducing faith to individual morality while ignoring structural and societal sins. Scripture repeatedly shows that God, through the prophets, John the Baptist, and Jesus, denounced corruption and injustice. Liberation theology asks us: What are our collective sins? What social evils—such as poverty or environmental destruction—are produced by systems we benefit from or fail to challenge? God desires happiness and abundance for all, yet this is blocked by human-made systems of greed. This is why liberation theology critiques the so-called prosperity gospel, which teaches that personal righteousness leads to personal wealth. True abundance, instead, comes from justice, equality, and dignity for everyone—across race, religion, class, and identity—together with a responsible relationship with the environment. So What Now? If God is a God of justice and of the poor, what does that mean for us today? Especially for those of us who live comfortably? Two questions for reflection: How is God continuing to resist violence, greed, and oppression in our world today? What is your own calling and participation in God’s work of justice and liberation? Regardless of belief, we all share responsibility for creating a more just and humane world. Concrete Ways to Respond Here are some practical invitations: Listen to activists. You don’t have to agree with everything, but listen—especially to those from poor, indigenous, and marginalized communities. Get to know the poor and the oppressed. Learn their names, hear their stories, and recognize Christ in their faces. Many of us are only one sickness or one lost job away from poverty ourselves. Do not settle. The world does not have to remain unjust. There is always something that can—and must—be done. Be critical in critical times. Ask questions. Read carefully. Hold leaders accountable, regardless of political affiliation. Speak up in daily life. Challenge bullying, discrimination, and unfair treatment wherever you encounter them—in families, schools, workplaces, and communities. Join and volunteer. Find reputable organizations aligned with your passion—whether LGBTQ+ advocacy, environmental justice, or urban poor work. We cannot do everything, but together we can do something. Protest when you can. Public witness against injustice remains an important form of participation. Pray. Prayer is not magic. It is a practice of grounding, hope, and attentiveness—helping us see both the brokenness and the goodness still present in the world. Closing Liberation theology invites us to listen—to the poor, to the world, and to the Holy Spirit speaking today. May this teaching inspire us, comfort us, and challenge us to live out a faith that seeks justice. Amen. The post Liberation Theologies Revealed appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For thus it says in 1 Peter 2[:9], “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a priestly royalty.” Therefore we are all priests, as many of us as are Christians. But the priests, as we call them, are ministers chosen from among us. All that they do is done in our name; the priesthood is nothing but a ministry. This we learn from 1 Corinthians 4:1, “This is how one should regard us. Servants of Christ, and stewards of the ministries of God.” Let everyone therefore who knows himself to be Christian be assured of this: that we are all equally priests. That is to say, we have the same power and respect to the word and the sacraments. However, no one may take use of this power, except by the consent of the community, or by a call of a superior. For what is the common property of all. No individual may arrogate to himself, unless he is called. And therefore, this sacrament of ordination, if it is anything at all, is nothing else than a certain right, where by one is called to the ministry of the church. Furthermore, the priesthood is properly nothing but the ministry of the Word; the Word, I say; not the law, but the gospel. Martin Luther King on Priesthood Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days I will pour out my spirit. Joel 2:28-29 (NRSVUE) Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Matthew 3:4-9 (NRSVUE) So, binasa natin ang quote from Martin Luther, one of the prominent Protestant reformers, who also happens to be an Augustinian monk. What many people do not know is that he was also a Bible scholar. Maraming gumugulo sa isip ni Martin Luther noon. Takot na takot talaga siya sa Diyos. The fear was very palpable. Hindi talaga siya mapakali. Walang panalangin, walang misa, walang sacred space na kayang mag-alis ng takot niya sa Diyos at ng pakiramdam na makasalanan siya, through and through. One of the suggestions given to him by the head of his religious order was to go to the university and study theology and the Bible. Eventually, he became an expert in the New Testament. Para sa akin, doon nagsimula ang kanyang critical response at critical view of the Catholic Church. Inaamin naman ng Catholic Church na mayroong mga abuses during that time. Some of these abuses can be read in the writings of Martin Luther. Isa sa mga tinuligsa niya ay ang hierarchy of the church based on priesthood, where ordinary people were treated as inferior. May mga sulat siya describing how priests and bishops treated ordinary people like basura, parang hayop, according to him. There was this strong distinction between the priesthood and the lay people, and he saw this as deeply oppressive. When he studied Scripture, one of the things he articulated—particularly in The Babylonian Captivity of the Church—was his critique of the seven sacraments. He argued that only two were truly sacraments, while the rest were ministries and did not carry special power or grace. Later on, Protestant scholars pointed out that the Greek word for priest, hierus, is almost always used in the New Testament to refer to Jesus Christ as the High Priest. The only other time it is used for people is in First Peter, where it says, “You are a royal priesthood, a chosen race.” One of the arguments, then, is that Jesus Christ did not try to establish a new priesthood in the way that it later developed in the Roman Church. Scripturally, the word for priest does not refer to church leaders. Leaders were called episcopos (overseers), presbyteroi (elders), and diakonoi (servants or ministers). There is a specific Greek word for priest, and it is not used for church leadership. Some Protestant arguments say that Jesus did not intend to establish a priesthood similar to the temple priesthood, which was hereditary and separated from the people. There are also interpretations pointing to the tearing of the temple veil at Jesus’ death, symbolizing direct access to God’s holiness for all. For Luther and the Reformers, ordination was not about special grace or spiritual superpowers. It was simply a difference in ministry. Any power connected to sacraments and rituals belongs to the whole community—to the priesthood of all believers. All sacramental authority has already been given to every baptized Christian. This is why some churches emphasize apostolic succession, while others do not. In Reformed, Protestant, and evangelical traditions—including MCC—ministry flows from baptism and faith, and leaders are discerned and called by the community. There is also a connection between the Reformation and Western democracy. The Reformers helped democratize Christianity by declaring that no special group has sole authority over Scripture and sacraments. It is the people of God who discern, and from among themselves, call leaders to serve on their behalf. For MCC, this matters deeply. MCC was formed by LGBTQ+ Christians who were excluded, rejected, or oppressed by their churches. From its earliest years in the 1970s, MCC affirmed that women could and should be ordained. That decision came very early in its life, even when many other churches still resisted women’s leadership. As MCC grew rapidly across different countries, the question became both practical and theological: who will lead the church? Looking back to its Pentecostal and Baptist roots, MCC affirmed that the call to ministry is not limited by gender, sexuality, or status, but grounded in the priesthood of all believers. The post Priesthood of All Believers appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Metropolitan Community Churches is one chapter in the story of the Church, the Body of Christ. We are people on a journey, learning to live into our spirituality, while affirming our bodies, our genders, our sexualities. We don’t all believe exactly the same things. And yet in the midst of our diversity, we build community, grounded in God’s radically inclusive love for all people. We are part of an ongoing conversation on matters of belief and faith, shaped by scripture and the historic creeds, building on those who have come before us. Our chapter begins when God says to us: “Come, taste, and see.” “Come, taste, and see.” Jesus Christ, You invite all people to Your open table. You make us Your people, a beloved community. You restore the joy of our relationship with God, even in the midst of loneliness, despair, and degradation. We are each unique and we all belong, a priesthood of all believers. Baptized and filled with Your Holy Spirit, You empower us to be Your healing presence in a hurting world. We expect to see Your reign on earth as it is in heaven as we work toward a world where everyone has enough, wars cease, and all creation lives in harmony. We affirm Your charge to all of humanity to care for the land, sea, and air. Therefore, we will actively resist systems and structures which are destroying Your creation. With all of creation we worship You—every tribe, every language, every people, every nation. We know You by many names, Triune God, beyond comprehension, revealed to us in Jesus Christ, who invites us to the feast. MCC Statement of Faith As we continue our “Faith Revealed” series leading up to Lent, we are diving deep into what we actually mean when we talk about faith at Open Table MCC. Following our discussion last week on the “Queer Trinity” and embodied theology—the idea that God is revealed through our physical bodies and identities —today we explore the document that binds our global community together: The MCC Statement of Faith. What We Believe The preaching highlights that unlike many older denominations, MCC does not focus on long lists of rigid, dogmatic theologies. Instead, our faith is defined by several core pillars that emerged from years of global conversation and research within our denomination. 1. Radically Inclusive Love At the heart of our community is a “radically inclusive love for all people”. This isn’t just a slogan; it is the foundation of our identity as a church that affirms diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions (SOGIE). 2. A Progressive, Justice-Oriented Faith Our faith is “progressive,” which means it is actively informed by justice. We are not passive observers; we are called to be a healing presence in a hurting world, resisting systems that destroy creation and marginalize people. 3. The Church as a Home When asked what MCC faith looks like, many members describe it as “home”. We strive to be a sanctuary where everyone—including those living with HIV and families exploring progressive theologies—can feel safe and valued. 4. An Evolving Conversation The current Statement of Faith, approved in 2016, moved away from strictly traditional patterns to better reflect our lived reality. It acknowledges that we don’t all believe exactly the same things, yet we remain part of an ongoing conversation shaped by scripture, reason, and our own experiences. A Reflection on our Shared Journey The sermon reminds us that our faith is “revealed” through our diversity. Whether you are a “legacy member” or a guest visiting for the first time, you are invited to “taste and see”. We reclaim the idea that God is beyond comprehension and yet revealed in the very human acts of building community and seeking justice. Closing Prayer Loving God, thank you for this community. Thank you that despite our imperfections, You gather us here to learn, to grow, and to mature. Speak to us through Your Holy Spirit and guide us as we continue to build a community founded in Your love. Amen. The post MCC Faith Revealed appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22 NRSVUE What if the doctrine of the Trinity—often seen as a rigid, confusing math problem—was actually one of the most radical, inclusive, and “queer” ideas in history? At Open Table MCC, we believe the Trinity isn’t just an ancient dogma; it is a vibrant invitation to community. While many progressive spaces might shy away from traditional doctrines due to their historical misuse, we choose to reclaim them. We dig beneath the layers of colonial and imperial history to find the liberating truth at the center: God is not a solitary ruler, but a community of love. Beyond the Binary The history of the Trinity goes back to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The early church wrestled with a massive question: Was Jesus truly God, or just a human? Was he divine, or created?. The Council’s answer was refusal to choose a binary. They declared Jesus is both fully God and fully human. They affirmed that God is One, yet Three—Parent, Child, and Spirit. To the human mind, this is “mental gymnastics”. But to the soul, it is a profound truth: God transcends our limited categories. God is relational, not individual: The very “Godness” of God is relationship, not isolation. God is diverse: The Trinity unsettles the idea of a single, static monarch. Instead, we see a dynamic “Divine Dance”. Why the Trinity is “Queer” In our theological reflection, we dare to say that the Trinity is “queer”. Why? Because “queer” theology is about disrupting norms, questioning binaries, and finding the divine in the margins. It disrupts the norm: The Trinity unsettles strict monotheism by revealing a God who is both one and three. It affirms bodies: By declaring Jesus as fully human, the Trinity affirms that God has a body, a gender, and sexuality. God knows what it is to be brown-skinned, marginalized, and oppressed under empire. It invites fluidity: If God is a community of three persons, we can imagine a God who holds the fullness of the gender spectrum—Parent (Father/Mother), Son (Child), and Spirit (often associated with female or gender-neutral imagery like Ruach or Pneuma). A Promise, Not Just a Doctrine We know the doctrine of the Trinity has been used as a tool for colonization and violence. We do not ignore that history. However, we also see it as a “promise and an idea,” much like the city of Oz in the musical Wicked. It is a promise that love is not solitary. As our pastor shared, “To have faith in the Trinity is to realize that you are created in the image and likeness of this divine community”. You were created from love and for love. And just as God is a community, you can only truly experience that love through community and relationship. Living the Trinity So, what does a 1,700-year-old doctrine have to do with us today? It calls us to embody that same relational love. As Creators: We mirror the Parent/Creator when we make art, write poetry, or build something new. As Redeemers: We mirror Jesus when we forgive others and work for justice. As Advocates: We mirror the Holy Spirit when we guide, help, and stand beside one another. At Open Table MCC, we don’t just recite the creed; we dance it. We invite you to join this divine community where diversity is holy, and no one is meant to be alone. The post Trinity Revealed appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate a brother or sister are liars, for those who do not love a brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. 1 John 4:16-21 NRSVUE In today’s preaching, we will take a deeper look at the nature of faith and explore how we can move beyond simple belief into a lived commitment. The following reflection follows the flow of our recent teaching, inviting us to reconsider what it means to truly have faith. 1. Faith as Commitment, Not Just Belief In many traditions, faith is reduced to a set of doctrines or a “belief system”. However, the biblical Greek word for faith, pistis, is rooted in commitment and relationship. While belief is a part of it, belief alone is not faith; many can master theological arguments while possessing very little actual faith. True faith is an act of the heart—what the Latin credo (I believe) originally meant: “I give my heart to”. It is God who first initiates this commitment, inviting us into a covenant, just as God reached out to the slaves in Egypt. Faith is our response to that call, a decision to “take up our cross” and abide in love. 2. Faith is Relational, Not Just Personal We often think of faith as a private, individual matter between “me and God”. But if faith is a commitment, it must be relational. Our relationship with God is directly measured by our relationship with one another and the world. As 1 John 4:21 reminds us, those who love God must also love their brothers and sisters. Faith is found in how we treat our neighbors and how we care for the creation around us. 3. The “Sampa-Taya” Journey: Trust and Risk Faith is not about absolute certainty; it is about trust and risk-taking. The Filipino word pananampalataya captures this perfectly through the concepts of sampa (to board) and taya (to bet or risk). Think of a jeepney during rush hour. You sampa (board) even when it’s crowded, holding on tight alongside your fellow passengers, not entirely sure if you’ll make it home safely, but trusting the journey anyway. It is like our OFWs and seafarers who sampa (board) ships to work abroad, carrying only their small tokens of faith—a stampita of the Nazareno or a lucky charm—as they risk everything for a better life. Faith is that “Sampa-Taya” spirit—boarding the journey with God even when the road is uncertain. 4. Faith as Remembering to Find Hope We often look at faith as something strictly for the future, but we can only look forward with hope if we look back with memory. Throughout the scriptures, God repeatedly tells the people: “Remember”. Remember that you were once slaves; remember the covenant; remember the bread and the wine. When we face “dark times” or what we might call “chaka” (ugly) moments in life, our brains tend to catastrophize—we forget that things have ever been good and assume they will always be bad. We become like the Israelites in the desert who, despite seeing God’s wonders, wanted to go back to Egypt because they forgot God’s faithfulness. Faith is the intentional act of remembering that even in our darkest hour, God’s goodness was present, often through the people who stood by us. Living the Ordinary Faith Faith isn’t about constant excitement or emotional highs. Like a long-term relationship or marriage, there will be highs, lows, and long stretches of ordinariness where you might not “feel” anything at all. True faith is staying committed through that ordinariness. It is a journey we take together, remembering where we’ve been so we can have the courage to see where we are going. The post Epiphany: Faith Revealed appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25 NRSVUE Sa Isang progressive church na intentionally mulat sa mga katarantafudahan ng bayan at mg Mundo, we are always confronted with the hardest question pag pasko and then later pag pasko ng pagkabukay… Is there something to celebrate sa kashitan na ito? But we are reminded na Hindi porket maraming kashitan, Tayo ay magpapatalo at magpapalugmok sa mga tae ng kasalukuyang kaganapan. Advent reminds is that there is always hope and our hope is based on the action of God throughout history. Kaya mahalagang mag-alam natin ang history because it proves to us thay things do get better eventually. Advent reminds that our peace does not come from the kings and emperors of this world but from the king of heaven who chooses to lower himself and become human, poor, a servant, and someone willing to die. Ang kapayapaan ay nagmumula sa kanya at ipinakita rin nya sa kanyang naging buhay paano natin maaachive Ang kapayapaan sa pamamagitan ng paglilingkod sa isat isa.Advent reminds us that there is joy and we must actively pursue joy. Mariz reminds us that Joy is rooted in grace and growing from the soil of ministry and Advocacy. Joy through ministry and Advocacy is our act of resistance against sa kashitan ng Mundo and it is a gift of God through community and shared work. Lastly, today, last Sunday of Advent, we are reminded in all of this it is always about love from love and towards love. Love that is not abstract but love na bodily – nagkakatawan – and intimately relational. Pag-ibig na gustong makipag ugnayan, nakikipag-kapwa, at nais yumakap at humipo. Eto any pag-ibig na Ang pangalan ay Emmanuel – God with us. God through us. Sa lahat ng paalalang ito ay kung paano Tayo nag-ambag at nagparticipate sa Open table, merong dapat ipagdiwang ngayong pasko at sa pagtatapos ng taon. Merong pag-asang masayang inaabangan para sa darating na taon in the face of all the shittiness now and will also continue to come. Mary and Joseph as Immanuel Sa last Sunday of Advent and our last worship of the year magandang paalala ang ating scripture reading tungkol sa pagkakatawang tao no Hesus ayon sa gospel of Matthew. Ang buong gospel of Matthew ay tungkol sa presensya ng Diyos na kasa-kasama natin. Yan Ang main theological frame and linchpin of the gospel of matthew. It reminds us that Jesus is Immanuel – the living presence of God among us… But I want us to also look at this story a little differently. I want us to also realize that in the Story the presence of God to the Son of God was also Mary who chose and decided to conceive Jesus and give birth to him. She didn’t have to. She could say No especially when it will most likely get her into trouble and danger. But she said yes to the danger and to the physical struggle and pain of child bearing and child birth. Joseph also embodied Immanuel – God’s presence towards Mary and Jesus – when he decided to continue his marriage with Mary and not have her stoned to death for adultery. Despite his own internal struggle, shame, and pain, he accepted Mary and her pregnancy. She believed his dream when he does not have to. Unlike Kay Mary na Meron talagang nagpakitang anghel, so Joseph, nananiginip lang. Ano bang Malay nya kung lerler lang sya Ang under a lot of stress that caused that dream. Baka gusto nya lang paniwalain Ang sarili nya. But he kept faith and did not have Mary put to death. Or kahit Hindi na nga put to death, Sabi sa gospel, he just wanted to divorse her in secret para Hindi na mapahamak so Mary. But even with that, paano na lang si Maria bilang deborsyadang batang ina? Hindi man sya ma stone to death, how will she survive as a young mother divorced so young? She was poor and from a poor family herself. Peasante. So when Joseph decided to keep Mary as his wife and believe a dream, and be a father to Jesus, he was Immanuel to them. Pero Hindi lang si Mary and Joseph ant Immanuel Kay Jesus. Later the wise men who gave them resources to help them start over and who also decided not to go back to herod. Then sino-sino pa kaya any mga kapamilya, kapit-bahay, at mga kaibigan ni Maria at Jose na naging Immanuel sa kanilang pamilya at Kay Hesus? We are Immanuel to Jesus in our midst Our advent story and indeed Christmas tells us not only God’s presence in and through Jesus but God’s presence in and through Each one of us for each other lalong-lalo na sa kashitan na nararanasan ng isa’t Isa at ng ating kapwa. Not only that Jesus is God’s presence to us. But it is also how we are God’s presence to Jesus who is among us. After all Sabi nga ni Jesus rin whatever good you have done for the least of this, you have done for me. Sabi rin ni Paul that Christ lives in and through us. Paano Tayo Immanuel din para Kay Hesus sa mga naghihirap ay nagdudusa sa ating paligid. Paanong Yung mga nasa paligid natin ay naging Immanuel para sa atin sa mga oras na Tayo ay nahihirapan, nag-iisa, nasasaktan, at nalulungkot. Paanong Tayo bilang open table, – community and a body – paanong Tayo rin ay katawan ni Kristo and presence ni God for our queer siblings and straight allies? Paanong Ang ating straight allies are God’s presence to our community of Open Table MCC? Reflection questions: As we end 2025… Let us reflect and look back. Tayo ay magmuni-muni Sinu-sino Ang naging Maria, Joseph, at Hesus sa iyong buhay nitong 2025? Who were the people who cared for you and were there for you in those moments of difficulty, pain, or loneliness? Who are those who took the time para kumustahin ka at makinig sayo? Sino any mga taong naging buhay na katugunan sa mga panalangin mo this 2025? Where the persons who became your answered prayers? Who were those who cared for you if and when you got sick? Ako sa akin buhay at bilang pastor, syempre pagoda mirasol Ako every Sunday or some days and ang immanuel para sa akin ay si Lawrence pag minamasahe nya Ako after Sunday or after one lagare day. Siya rin ay nakikinig sa akin sa mga hanash ko sa inyo at mga kunsumisyon. Pero malaking Immanuel din sa akin this year so Jaetee, Rix, at mother Sean sa mga bagay na need ng pastoral care. Malaking bagay sa akin Ang iilang sa Inyo na nakakaalala, nanganganusta, at minsan may pa ayuda. Pero kahit Hindi, Yung simpleng pag gampan sa mga ministry ninyo ay isang malaking presence of God para sa akin bilamg pastor nyo. Salamat. Sa Inyo? Sino ang mga naging Immanuel sa buhay nyo this 2025? Paano naging immanuel any open table sa buhay nyo this year? Whether you are here for a long time or bago la lang… How does open table continue to be God’s living presence in your life and spirituality?Reflectik. 2. Paano Naman kayo naging immanuel sa kapwa nyo this 2025? In what ways have you embodied Jesus nitong 2025? Sino Ang nilapitan mo para kausapin, kumustahin, at pakinggan kahit na inconvenient? Was there a time and a person you went out of your way to give your time and attention even? Meron rin bang mga times that you were less of a presence of God to someone or might even be the opposite nitong 2025? How have you repented as per Ardy’s preaching? How have you changed?Last reflection as reminded by our gospel today and this preaching, how can you continue to be Immanuel for 2026? Paano kayo patuloy na magiging aktibont presensya ng Diyos sa darating na taon sa community na ito, sa inyong mga kapamilya at kaibigan, at sa iba pang higit na nangangailangan? Kahit matatapos Ang year of grace sa open table, paano ka magpapatuloy na daluyan ng kanyang grace next year? Because the presence of God is marked by grace. What acts of kindness and grace will you continue or commit to do for next year here and everywhere? As Open Table MCC with our year of faith, how can we live and embody our progressive and queer Faith bilang nagkakatawang presensya ng Diyos sa mga nahihirapan at nasasaktan? Bilang Open Table, paano Tayo magiging instrumento ng Diyos para maging kasagutan sa panalangin nh bawat Isa at ng iba pa? Sa lahat ng kashitan at katarantaduhan ng sa ating bayan, how can we continue to embody Emmanuel and give the hope, peace, joy, and love of God in our own way sa mas malawak na pakikibaka? Next year is our year of faith, at ako ay tiwala sa Inyo to do well next year while at the same time pinagkakatiwala ko kayo sa presence of God that is in each other and among us. I trust you and God among you to live out your faith with grace and to embody Immanuel this 2026. The post We Are Immanuel appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” Matthew 11:2-6 NRSVUE John the Baptist, the voice in the wilderness, the prophet who dared to speak truth to power, finds himself behind bars. And from that place of confinement, John asks a hauntingly human question: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” This is not a question from an unbeliever. This is a question from someone faithful, tired, disappointed, and confused. And that matters, because it tells us something important: doubt does not cancel faith. Suffering does not erase calling. Joy, in Scripture, is not the absence of struggle. What kind of joy are we talking about? Let me be clear: when we talk about joy, we are not talking about being cheerful all the time. Joy is not a mood. Joy is not hype. Joy is not pretending everything is okay. Biblical joy is deeper than happiness. Joy is a deep, abiding inner assurance, a settled confidence rooted in a relationship with God. It’s the kind of joy that can exist even when the prison door stays closed, the kind of joy John needed while he was behind bars. Galatians 5:22 says: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” Notice the word fruit. Fruit is never manufactured by effort alone. Fruit grows when a tree is rooted, nourished, and abiding. You don’t yell at a tree to bear fruit. You don’t shame it into producing. Fruit is the natural evidence that life is flowing through it. Which means, if joy is fruit, then joy is not the goal – grace is the source. So What do we mean by a graceful ministry? A graceful ministry is not driven by pressure. It is not fueled by proving yourself. It is not obsessed with performance, productivity, or approval. A grace-driven ministry flows from this truth: God’s love is already given. God’s power is already at work. God’s grace is already enough. It knows: This is not about my strength. This is not about my perfection. This is about Christ’s work, not my résumé. That kind of ministry is marked by: Humility instead of control Patience instead of urgency Presence instead of performance And when ministry flows from grace, joy shows up. Not loud joy. Not flashy joy. But resilient joy. The kind that keeps showing up. The kind that listens without fixing. The kind that stays when it’s uncomfortable. This is exactly what Jesus shows us in Matthew 11:2-5. John sends word from prison, asking if Jesus is truly the Messiah. Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not say: “Try harder.” “Believe more.” or “Get it together.” Instead, Jesus says: “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” And then He lists evidence of grace at work: the blind receive sight the lame walk the sick are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised the poor receive good news Jesus points John not to spectacle, but to restoration. Not to power, but to presence. Even in the presence of miracles, even in the middle of grace, questions still existed. John still asked. And I relate to that. Fact 1: I am a queer woman. Fact 2: I am a Christian. I am both of these at once. And I no longer hide who I am to make anyone else comfortable. Just like John, I am a discomfort for other people—sometimes even to my own family. I have lost relationships because of who I am and what I choose to do. But standing fully in who I am has taught me something about Jesus: His grace makes room. Jesus’ ministry was not about shrinking people. It was about revealing truth and widening belonging. Yet even in the midst of grace, questions still exist. Even when I volunteer to contribute to this church—as your Hermana, your Community Connect Facilitator, your Inang Martha, and just your fellow churchmate—there are days I ask myself: “Am I really helping?” “Am I really showing up the way people need me to?” “Am I enough?” “Or… bida-bida ka lang? OA ka naman?” I have doubts. I have insecurities. But why do I still keep going? When Jesus did not condemn John. He responded with grace. And I realize: doubt does not disqualify me. Showing up is already ministry. I know that Grace is often uncomfortable. Grace stretches us. It challenges us. It calls us to love beyond what feels safe. Grace moves toward pain. Grace listens to the silenced. Grace meets the messy, the broken, the desperate. Grace reaches into the hardest places and says: You are seen. You are heard. You are loved. And maybe that’s why this Scripture feels personal to me. I often find myself surrounded by people in pain. Many times, people open up to me about their hurt, their traumas, their vulnerable selves. Sometimes I joke na “parang magnet ako” …ehh ha? Bakit sa dami-dami ng puwedeng maattract… problema pa? Na para bang Google Drive ako ng chismis? But as I reflected with my wife Mikay, she made me realize: “Maybe you don’t attract problems. Maybe you just refuse to turn away.” The truth is: I don’t receive people’s stories because I’m weak or strong. I receive them because I give the grace of willingness to listen. I practice ministry by being present: Someone who listens without judgment Someone who holds space Someone who says, “Your story is safe here.” I will give you a seat at the table. I choose to be present. And maybe, to me, that’s what a graceful ministry looks like: choosing compassion over control, curiosity over judgment, presence over perfection. Jesus said in Matthew 11:6: “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” The word “offended” comes from a Greek term that literally means “to stumble” or “to be tripped up.” It’s an invitation to stand firm in faith, even when following Jesus feels hard, messy, or different from what we expect. There is great blessing in holding on, in trusting Him, and in continuing to walk with Him, knowing that He is faithful, even when the path is unclear or challenging. Ministry is not a title, a pulpit, or a program. It’s presence. It’s staying when it’s easier to walk away. It’s listening to someone who’s been silenced. It’s letting someone fall apart without trying to fix them. Even in the face of broken systems, injustice, and chaos, choosing to show up with compassion is a radical act of hope. It makes grace visible. In a world like this, it’s natural to feel small and powerless. To wonder: “Can my small presence really make a difference?” “Is showing up, listening, or offering help enough when problems feel enormous?” This is exactly where grace steps in. This is exactly where ministry begins—not in grand gestures or perfect solutions, but in small, courageous acts of presence. You don’t need training to begin. You don’t need perfect words. You don’t even need to feel ready. Although, lest I get misunderstood, may mga bagay rin na kailangan ng training. Hindi pwedeng pastor na puro presence lang. Pero hindi rin pwedeng pastor na puro training lang, pero walang presence. Presence is the start and the beginning. There are ministries where puso at presence ang tanging kailangan. Listen. Stay. Care. Again and again. With your heart open. Because maybe the holiest thing we can do… is to keep showing up: Showing up for each other… messy, tired, hopeful. Showing up when it would be easier to walk away. Showing up when no one notices. Showing up when it hurts. The grace in showing up is a learning and training experience. Natututo rin tayo kapag when we show up. The kind of grace that Jesus lived… a grace that meets people where they are, and in doing so, gives birth to joy. Because maybe true joy come from accepting Jesus as He is, even when His ways challenge our expectations. Like when we choose to love someone the way Jesus loves: without condition, without hesitation, without needing to fix or prove anything. The joy in trusting God’s bigger plan and finding fulfillment in His presence, not worldly success or our limited human views. Because joy isn’t the absence of pain. It’s the fruit of grace. The kind that keeps loving, keeps believing, keeps listening, even when it hurts. Every time you choose presence over perfection, compassion over judgment, and love over fear – you are participating in ministry. You are planting seeds of grace that will grow into joy. So If someone here once listened to you, carried your burden, or made you feel less alone at some point, turn to them and say: “Thank you for showing up.” As we close today, let me leave you with this: Grace is the root. Ministry is the soil. Joy is the fruit. And when grace leads, joy follows. Stand firm in faith, even when you doubt. Because every act of grace you offer, every moment you choose presence over performance, every time you choose love over fear, you are planting seeds of joy in a world that so desperately needs it. So I leave you with this question, to carry in your heart: “Will I let grace guide me—so that joy can truly bloom, in me and through me, for others?” The post Joy is the Fruit of a Graceful Ministry appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:1-12 NRSVUE Marami sa inyo dito ang tawag sa akin ay Ardy. Pero pag naririnig ng kapatid ko yang pangalan na yan, natatawa siya. Sa totoo, ako rin minsan, lalo na pag pinapakilala ako ni Jandi na Ardy sa friends at mga kakilala niya. Five years pa lang kasi yung pangalan na yan kaya hindi pa sanay yung kapatid ko, at minsan ako rin. Nung nag-out ako 5 years ago, I chose that nickname. Ayoko nang ipakilala yung sarili ko as Rhick, lalo na as Deuel. And looking back, it’s not actually about me wanting to be called differently, kasi unang-una mas madali yung Rhick. Ang Ardy, two syllables. It’s about me wanting to be known differently. I wanted to create this new self, this new identity. And so 5 years after, weeks after my birthday, napatanong ako, sino nga ba talaga si Ardy? Was I able to actually live differently? Was I successful in building this new self? Was I able to transform myself? Si Jandi alam na alam ang sagot sa mga tanong na yan. Yang mga questions na yan, obviously, hindi dumating sa akin out of the blue. When I was studying the scripture reading, na-fascinate ako kasi hindi nga pala bago itong konsepto ng transforming oneself. In Matthew 3:2, John proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which is usually simply translated in English as to change or to transform. Hence, the call to transform oneself isn’t new. Even before Jesus, people were already called to be transformed. Digging into the historical context of this story, this call from John is an invitation for the people during his time to be renewed. If we go one verse back, this story of John is actually a bit theatrical because he appeared in the wilderness. So meron siyang ganung atake. Kaya naman John is actually a very queer Biblical character, not in a total SOGIESC sense, but in how he used strange fashion and lifestyle not to stand out, but to remind people of a story. Very draga. He intentionally wore, sa verse 4, clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. Why? To look like Prophet Elijah. Bakit niya gusto magmukhang propeta? He wanted to be like the prophets of ancient Israel. He wanted to remind people of what happened to the Israelites when they didn’t follow God’s commandments. Kaya dun siya umeksena sa wilderness because it served as a stage that would amplify his message. He wanted to remind people that the true essence of the covenant and commandments is to show the world that there is a different way of living, of being. God gave ancient Israel a framework on how to set themselves apart from other nations. And so proclaiming the message of repentance from the wilderness must remind the Jews to become the people that Israel had been called to be from the very beginning. The past generations failed, and in verse 10, he declared that the time had arrived, God is offering a final opportunity. Therefore, John’s call for repentance is a call to transform oneself: to have a complete change of mind and heart, inviting people to be baptized to publicly proclaim that they are setting themselves apart from the ways of their world. Now, sa atin ngayon, what does the call for repentance mean to us? What does transformation of self mean to us? Syempre, hindi yan mag-start sa paggawa ng bagong nickname. Pwede niyo rin gawin iyon, but gaya nga ng tanong ko sa sarili ko, yes, gumawa ako ng bagong name for myself, but did I really undergo a genuine process of becoming transformed into someone new? Samahan niyo kong sagutin yang tanong na yan by exploring two steps on how to gain true metanoia. The first step is to think about what we’ve done or how we’re currently behaving. For some, this could be difficult, self-reflection is a heavy task. Because as humans, we tend to overlook things about ourselves.  In my case, I didn’t get to fully understand my worldview after I left my former religion. I grew up believing that Jehovah’s Witness is the true religion, the only group of true Christians. But what’s interesting is that I didn’t actually fully realize na talagang years of my life, I believed that only one particular group has the monopoly on God’s approval. Kaya nung naging part ako ng Open Table as Ardy, nasa sistema ko pa rin siya. I had this thought na progressive Christian groups or individuals who are progressively leaning lang ang totoong mga Christian. In some degree, yes, we do proclaim God’s radically inclusive love better, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people from other Christian groups who are also trying to be as Christian as possible and follow Jesus in their own big and little ways. As a matter of fact, I realized I can still actually learn a lot of things from them. One of the things that I am transparent about dito sa journey ko of transforming myself is that prayer is still a difficult thing for me to do. Kaya nung nagkita kami ng friend ko, she’s from an evangelical-ish church, I was so jealous that she can actually pour her heart out and articulate her gratitude for the year 2025 so beautifully in just a prayer for dinner. Why did I feel spiritually superior to people who are in non-affirming communities when I know that a personal relationship with God is possible maging sino ka man? Kaya I figured, it’s actually a need to have moments of reflection and to understand if we’re truly different from who we were. I actually remembered a conversation from the ministry planning. Apparently, some of us are still uncomfortable in spiritual practices from other cultures and religions. That’s perfectly understandable. Some of us were raised to believe that non-Christians will rot in hell or, dati ako, I believed na papaulanan sila ng meteorites during Armageddon. But as we undergo metanoia, ganung klaseng Kristiyano pa rin ba tayo? Do we still gatekeep the divine and believe that everyone else is damned if they’re not Christian? For some people, this first step may look different. Those who aren’t out and are just coming to terms with their gender and sexuality, maybe there’s a need to be more aware of an inner voice that screams internalized homophobia or transphobia. For those who are still with their non-affirming church communities, they may need to assess if hiding parts of themselves is worth it just to stay within the faith community, or how their double life affects their genuine connection with God. For those who just left their former churches and are in the process of deconstruction, how’s your spiritual life? Have you abandoned prayer and scripture reading? Maybe at this point, some of us are done with these big questions involving identity and spirituality. Then what questions are left for us? Mark 12:31 offers an answer: Love your neighbor as yourself. As we wish to be transformed, we must also think if we lack in charity, if we are greedy, if we participate in exploitation or violence. Big words noh. Sige, liitan natin: kaya ba nating maging mas aware of how hostile we could be in online conversations? Or kaya ba nating maging mas aware sa ating tendencies na maging elitista or classist? Do we converse with kindness and claim accountability sa mga actions natin or are we rude, di nag-iisip bago magsalita (sobrang kota na ko dyan this week) or parang regina george kung umasta? We can ask ourselves, In what ways can I love my neighbor better? As we assess ourselves, we also have to go through Step 1.5: acknowledge who we are or what we’ve done and feel remorse. This part of repentance and yes, repentance as a whole, could be a challenging process for LGBTQ+ people. Yung salitang repent pa nga lang, diba, was weaponized by most of our previous churches. Bakla ka? Repent. Immoral yan? Repent. It was used to make us feel lesser and undeserving of God’s love. But now that we have a better understanding of what it means, I’m telling you, we have to repent. We have to repent because we sin. Walang immunity ang mga bakla dyan. We don’t automatically get an A+ sa commandment ni Jesus. Sumasablay tayo araw-araw. So we don’t get a free pass for the things we’ve done and for the things we’re doing that aren’t aligned with Jesus’ commandment. Yung ating sexuality and gender identity, based on science and biblical-theological scholarship ay hindi naman talaga kasalanan to repent from, pero marami pang ibang bagay na we need to repent and transform from. Regardless of gender and sexuality, we have to feel sad, bad, and remorseful for those things, for the p

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:33-43 NRSVUE The Paradox of the Crucified King So the reading today is surprising, isn’t it? Did you wonder if it is Holy Week? Is it Good Friday today that we have the crucifixion? Now it’s a lectionary reading. It’s the reading today of almost all Catholic and mainline protestant churches who use the lectionary. It is the reading now because it declares that the king, the sovereign, the monarch for Christians is someone who is not on a throne, on a classic golden chair, but the throne of the one that we call king is someone who is nailed to the cross. The one that we proclaim Lord, King, Savior is someone that the early Christian movement in the first century saw as Lord and Savior. They believed that in the person of Jesus of Nazareth—someone who was born with and into and among the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized. It’s not just that Jesus welcomed the marginalized. Jesus is part of the marginalized, discriminated, and oppressed people. Jesus’ Background and Shame His mother is a peasant from Nazareth. His adopted father, foster father, is a carpenter. No, in some parts of the gospel he is referred to as, “is this not the son of the carpenter?” In short, construe “isang day laborer,” a carpenter. In other parts of the gospel, there’s no mention of his father. He was referred to as “is this not the son of Mary?” What does that mean? Like in our song earlier about shame, right? That’s a shame. It means you are an illegitimate child. You are born out of wedlock. Because there was gossip (“chismis”) that Mary was the talk of the town because Jesus was conceived even before Joseph and she were officially and liturgically married. There were rumors that perhaps Jesus was the son of another man. So this Jesus, as he started to preach and do ministry, miracles were ascribed to him—someone who came from Nazareth. As one apostle later said, “is there anything good that comes out of Nazareth?” So meaning, not only did Jesus have many issues regarding his personhood, but he also came from a place considered bad, where nothing good comes from. He knew shame. He knew what it means to live among, with, and as an oppressed person in those times; as a son of a carpenter, as someone who was gossiped about as being born not really of Joseph. He knew all of that. The True Son of God vs. Worldly Power And so when he started his ministry, naturally his ministry was for his fellow vulnerable people who were also exploited, oppressed, and discriminated. After his ministry, crucifixion, and supposed resurrection, the early Christians started to reflect on who this Jesus is. The Jewish Christians of the first century started to proclaim that if there is really a God—the God of ancient Israel, Yahweh of the covenant—this God is someone who was evident in the life, the words, example, and the miracle of this Jesus who came out from a place where no good comes from. If there is a God, this God is evident in the life of Jesus. That is why the Gospel of Mark, the first Gospel, declares in the opening line: “this is the gospel, this is the good news of Jesus Christ, son of God.” You cannot say that in those times; that will get you crucified because “good news” only comes from the “true son of God,” which is the Roman Emperor. You cannot claim the carpenter, the peasant, the one who was crucified as a rebel, is the Son of God, King of the Jews, and Messiah. That was unheard of and unbelievable to many in the first-century Roman Empire. But in the Christian tradition, God chose to be born in human flesh. For God so loved the world that the word of God became flesh and dwelt not just among us but became and dwelt among the poor and the oppressed and knew the life and the oppression of the oppressed. Leadership: Sacrificial vs. Self-Preserving This king is someone who is willing to die so that many shall be safe and set free, as compared to the kings, monarchs, senators, and presidents of this world where you have to die for them. Someone else may die except the politician. Isn’t it that the leaders of the world today are willing to let us all die (“mategi bells”) in floods and preventable disasters, as long as the leaders of the country are saved? Everybody else can die, everybody else can suffer except for the leaders of our country and the world. That’s the problem then and now. The leaders of the world play their “Game of Thrones” to the detriment of the masses. They use the people’s resources, but the ones who die and suffer are the common people. That is why the oppressed saw in Jesus a remarkable thing: someone who preached inclusion, someone who preached diversity, someone who uplifted those who were considered outsiders in society and religion. He welcomed all of them. He spoke on behalf of them. This Jesus denounced those who were considered as the sons of God in the temple and in the palace. Despite him being crucified—a shameful, the most shameful and painful way to die at that time—there were a group of people who proclaimed he is Lord, Savior, and Son of God. Reflection on “Wicked” and Judgment Earlier when I woke up, a video appeared on Facebook. I forgot his name, but he is an award-winning costume designer or stylist. He was talking about Wicked. He said—I screenshot it because I couldn’t remember the exact quote—he said this in his TED talk: “Wicked is about anyone who has ever been judged without speaking a word.” And the one speaking is a Black man. For those familiar with Wicked, who watched the movie or the play, you know the story. Spoiler alert. There was this green woman born with green skin whose birth was questioned—why was she born green? All her life, from a young child, she was hated and felt shame and excluded, not just by society but by the very family she is part of. The story goes that the establishment, led by the Wizard of Oz, started to blame the animals. The animals were like people; they were intelligent and could speak. He started a campaign to make the animals enemies, to imprison and torture them to such an extent that they could no longer speak. Elphaba, the green lady who later realized her powers, championed the cause of the animals and championed the truth about the Wizard who does not really have powers but just deception. The Intersection of Fiction and Faith This film and stage play resonate so much with the LGBTQ+ community, the trans community, or anyone—even if straight—who has ever been judged, shamed, or discriminated against for things that are not their fault. It’s a story of a person who was shamed but championed the cause of the shamed. Through an elaborate scheme, she was willing to die and remain an enemy to effect change and ensure the animals, who had been structurally and systematically made enemies of the state, were included back into society. She was willing to be the “bad one” in order for change to happen. Here is where I draw the intersection between Elphaba, the story of Wicked, and the story of the one who was willing to be nailed on the cross to be branded as a rebel, as an enemy of the state. Someone who denounced the “wizards” of his time inside the temple in Jerusalem and because of it was crucified. Challenge to the Believers So the question is, as fans of Wicked and as fans of the crucified one: Do we remain simply as a fans club, or are we really followers of the one who is willing to die for the greater good, especially of those who are vulnerable and discriminated? What does it mean for us—we LGBTQ+ people, great people who are “erehes” (heretics) for being allies of this community, we who are also considered wicked—what does it mean for us to be truly followers of these heroes? What does it mean to follow a peasant Jew in first-century Roman Palestine who was declared the bringer of good news and Son of God? How can we continue the story he exemplified? Let’s start with the 2028 election. You should vote for those willing to be nailed to the cross, not those who will nail us to the cross again. Conclusion: Transgender Day of Remembrance In closing this preaching, I also saw an Instagram post by someone who watched Wicked. It was a profound reflection that people are not necessarily totally bad or totally good. It’s a mixture of both. Perhaps the focus was on Elphaba and Glinda. That was also in the TED talk of the costume designer: Who decides who is bad, who is wicked, and who is good? Simply by the color and style of dress? It is true, we are a mixture of good and bad. None of us are perfect. But a pushback I have on that reflection is: while that is true, that is not a justification to be wicked. In Wicked, while Elphaba and Glinda have this dance of goodness and wickedness and PR, we forget there are two who are truly wicked

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead but of the living, for to him all of them are alive.” Luke 20:27-38 NRSVUE This is the lectionary reading from last week because we didn’t have worship. This is a common lectionary reading when Advent is approaching. We are not yet in Advent, but this is a story that I sometimes preach at weddings and Holy Unions. I can preach it with my eyes closed because I’ve been using it for 12 years now in weddings. Based on this reading, the Sadducees, a sect of Jewish religious leaders, asked Jesus a parable question. The question arises because they did not believe in the resurrection from the dead or the afterlife. There is nothing in the Old Testament that says anything definitive about the afterlife. Did you know that? In the Old Testament, very rarely does it mention anything about the afterlife. The only thing mostly said in the Hebrew Testament is that the dead go to Sheol. Sheol is not hell; everyone in the Old Testament goes to Sheol, the land of the dead, where one perspective is that the dead are in a sleep-like state. There is also no mention of heaven or hell for the dead in the Old Testament. Since there is almost nothing mentioned apart from Sheol, there was a group of Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus who held two positions: either there is something we don’t know about because the prophets and the Old Testament did not say anything, or there’s really nothing to it. The belief was: when you’re dead, you’re just “poof.” This was the perspective of the Sadducees, in comparison to the Pharisees, the tradition Jesus belonged to, that believed in and preached about the afterlife. The Sadducees, who were the religious and political leaders in the temple, asked Jesus to challenge his knowledge and preaching through a parable. The parable tells of a man who married a woman but died immediately. Part of their law—the Old Testament Law, the Torah—states that if a man dies childless, his surviving brother is required to marry the widow. In the parable, the widow married the next brother, but he also died. This continued until all seven brothers died after being married to this woman. Finally, the woman also died. So here’s the question the Sadducees posed to Jesus: if the resurrection is true, who will be the legally recognized husband of this woman? All seven marriages were valid according to the Torah and the law. They could not imagine a woman having multiple husbands, although, conversely, one man could have multiple wives. A woman having seven husbands was unthinkable to them. So, the question: if the resurrection is real, who will be this woman’s legal husband in the new life? Jesus’s answer is: “When the time comes, there shall be those who are worthy of the kingdom, who will neither be received nor given into marriage, and they will be like angels of God who will forever be in God’s presence, praising, worshiping, and giving thanks to God.” That’s Jesus’s point. In the resurrection, no one will be received or given in marriage. I always say this during a Holy Union: if the resurrection and the Judgment Day are true—when we face God in our death—it means all marriages are void. That’s basically what Jesus is saying. To the question, “Who is the legal husband of this woman in the resurrection?” Jesus answers, “When the time comes, no one shall be given and received into marriage.” Marriage will cease. We will be transformed like unto angels of God. What this means is that who you are married to, who your partner is, or what your partner is, does not matter to your salvation. How you treat your partner is what matters. There’s a difference there. How you treat your partner? Yes. But who your partner is or whether you have a partner or no partner at all will not be the basis of your salvation. Basically, that’s what Jesus said. By extension, because marriage, at least in their context (and we can bring this to today’s context), is heavily gendered. Under patriarchal norms during the time of Jesus and even now under heteronormative patriarchal norms, pag-aasawa (marriage) is gendered. Some churches say it is only between a man and a woman because you have to bear children, and you can only bear children after you get the blessing of marriage. By extension, not only does marriage have nothing to do with your salvation, but your gender or sexuality has nothing to do with salvation either. In the same way that who your spouse is has nothing to do with your salvation, your sexuality has nothing to do with your salvation. However, how you practice your sexuality or gender expression and identity could have something to do with salvation. Even for progressive and LGBT-affirming churches, even though we affirm and proclaim that your same-sex relationship or your transgender identity is not a sin (based on our theological and biblical understanding), how you express that may or may not be good or bad. We can still ask, are gay people committing bad things? Yes. Are people still doing certain bad things with or without their sexuality involved? Yes. But their sexuality—our sexuality per se—is not a factor in our salvation or what it means to be a good or bad person. This week is Transgender Awareness Week, and this coming week is Transgender Day of Remembrance. To those people who are saying that being transgender or being gay is an abomination or a sin, I guess one particular affirming passage is this one. It’s also an affirming passage even for straight people, as it says that marriage is not the only path to a correct Christian life. Even having a stereotypical Christian life—that you have a Christian family, are married, have children, and are in the church—can be oppressive to some people, even straight people. Jesus tells us: it doesn’t even matter when the time comes. No one shall be given into marriage. All marriages shall become void. It does not matter. And here’s another beautiful point, especially for Transgender Month. It says that when the resurrection happens, we shall be transformed like unto angels of God. What does that mean? In the historical theological development of the concept of spirits or angels, either they are genderless (because they are spirits), or the spirit that manifests into a physical being can choose whichever gender they manifest themselves as. So, if we are to become, if this physical body is to be transformed in the resurrection of the dead like angels of God, then you are either genderless or “gender-full,” or a being with many eyes or many heads, as in the Book of Ezekiel. In this sense, the direction for whoever is “worthy of the resurrection of the dead” is to be transformed, to transcend the human body like unto the angels of God. So I am here to tell you, with the parable of Jesus and the answer to the Sadducees’ question, that in the end, it’s really just about us. How did we really live a life of kindness and generosity towards each other and people, especially the poor? This is Luke’s gospel, after all. I’ve said it several times: the Gospel of Luke is the most pro-poor, pro-oppressed gospel. The word ‘poor’ is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke more times than in the other gospels. The Gospel of Luke is where we find this story. And in relation to being pro-poor, there is an anti-rich message as well. The only thing that matters to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke is not marriage or being married, but how we treat the lowliest, the poorest, and the most vulnerable in our world. I challenge you this week: read the Gospel of Luke page to page. It’s only 24 chapters. You will see that Jesus’s primary concern—at least in the Gospel of Luke—is that salvation is about two things: The word metanoia (repentance), which in some cases is much better used as transformation. How do you transform yourself as a person? How do you grow as a person? Grow in love, in kindness, and in generosity. Growing in kindness and generosity towards those who are poor, oppressed, and the most vulnerable in our world. That is the biblical framing and core of the Gospel of Luke. The story of the rich man and Lazarus is only found in the Gospel of Luke. In that story, it is not explicitly said that the rich man did anything bad, but the rich man did not do what was in his power to do. He saw the poor man every day and did nothing. So at the end of it, whether you’re straight, you’re gay, you’re trans, you’re Black, you’re white, you’re yellow, whatever you are, however you identify—married, non-married, single, blessed, celibate, not celibate, whatever it is—the question of our lives will just be: How did you grow to be loving and kind to the most vulnerable among us and in the world? That is the only question of our lives. This is confirmed in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 25. When Jesus tells the story of the actual end of the world, the a

Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. Luke 6:20-26 NRSVUE It’s All Saints Weekend and the first Sunday of November.  November is also Transgender Awareness month.  So today we honor and remember our Queer Saints, especially those that we honor in this church  – Unang-una is of course our very own – Kuya Michael Mia and Choi Discipulo.   Then of course si Fr. Richard Mickley the Father of MCC in the Philippines and co-organizer of  the first Pride march in the Philippines and all of Asia.   Then we also remember the spouse of kuya Vince, si Pastor Egay of MCC Makati and then our  kababayan na naging significant leader sa Founders MCC and music ministry volunteer sa global  MCC – si Rev. Camille Rodriguez Araullo.   Our scripture reading for today is the Beatitudes from the version of the gospel of Luke, which I  have mentioned in the past as the most pro-poor and pro-oppressed gospel. The poor is mentioned  more times in Luke than in Matthew, Mark, and John. It also has the thematic of Metanoia which  is often translated into “repentance” which I would argue that in some instances, the word  transformation might be closer or more relevant to use.   Mapapansin natin sa gospel of Luke etong mensahe ng pagpapantay – Equality or common good.  Yung pag-aalis ng gap or space between rich and poor. In the song of Mary of Nazareth nung  pinagbubuntis nya si Hesus at binisita nya ang nakakatandang pinsan nyang si Elizabeth, kumanta  sya na tinatawag nating Magnificat – hango dun sa salitang “Magnify” sa unang part nung song,  “My soul magnifies the Lord”. In the song of Mary while Jesus was in her belly. She declared, pull  down the mighty from their thrones and then uplift the lowly.   Ibaba ang mga makapangyarihan at itaas o lingapin ang mga mabababa at mahihirap.  Sent away the rich empty and fill the poor and hungry with all good things.  Ito ay pagpapantay at pag-aalis nung economic gap between two groups of people.   Ngayon, we read this again here in the beatitudes according to Luke and not surprising, the same  is mentioned only in a slightly different way.  Jesus in the Luke says – Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of God.  Kapuspusan sa inyong mga maralita pagkat para sa inyo ang kaharian ng Diyos.  Then later Jesus says, Woe to you who are rich for you have received your consolation.   Napaka gentle nyang “Woe to you”… actually, nagmumura si Jesus dyan… Mga PI kayong mga  Makapangyarihan pagkat nakuha nyo na ang inyong kaginhawahan or aliw.   Side note kasi palaging maraming nag-rereact when the word “rich” is mentioned and they are  criticized with hard language that comes from no less than Jesus himself.  May particular na context at category ng mayaman sa gospels. Pag sinabing mayaman sa gospels  and maybe even sa old testament prophets, ang ibig sabihin nila dito ay yung Mayaman na sa  sobrang yaman ay may kapangyarihang magdikta at magimpluwensya sa kalagayan ng isang  bansa. The gospels are contextually specific when it refers to the rich as someone whose wealth  gives the person or family power to dictate or influence the life and direction of an entire nation or  an entire society. So for example, the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus – the rich man there  was said to be wearing purple.   Purple was not something a middle class person wore. Purple was reserved for the Roman Emperor  and the imperial Family. Sometimes to some extent, to some of the Roman Senators and  magistrates. Sometimes to the local Kings like Herod, that were sanctioned by the Roman Empire.  Putting that into today’s perspective, sino-sino ba ang makokonsider natin na mga Emperor, royal  dynasties, and magistrates of today? Another story says that there was a rich young man who came  to Jesus asking on how to receive the kingdom of God. A young man – isang Binatang lalake  between ages 16 to 22 years old back then are not capable of accumulating a wealth that can  influence nations or societies, or even a community. It only means, this young man inherited his  wealth from his parents. Generational wealth. So, pag binabatanan ni Jesus ang mga “mayayaman”  sa gospels and pag ito ay namemention sa social justice homily ni Father sa roman catholic or IFI  or sa mga pastor sa UCCP or Methodist, hindi yan nagrerefer sayo or sa inyo. Wag mong isipin na  ikaw yun porket nakapag-japan ka lang or nakarating ka sa Europe para magbakasayon. Yung  Yaman na tinutukoy sa Gospels ay yung kayamanan na may kapangyarihan na bumili ng buhay o  pumatay ng buhay. Yung sobrang yaman mo kaya mong bimili ng mga tao. Sa sobrang yaman mo,  pwede mong bilhin ang boto ng taong bayan. Sa sobrang yaman mo, pwde kang patuloy na  magnakaw at hindi mapanagot kahit buking ka na. Hanggat wala kang ganyang kayamanan, hindi  ka considered rich sa standards ng bible. Wag kang feeling. At tayo rito sa Open Table MCC…  walang mayaman dito sa totoo lang. If you are 1 major sickness away from becoming poor and  homeless, hindi ka rich and I would argue, ni hindi ka Talaga middle class.   Anyway… going back. Habang paliwanagan sa word na “Rich” para lang hindi mabash ng mga  pro-rich gays.  So the gospel of Luke understands the life, words, and mission of Jesus as a mission of lessening  the gaps between people especially the economic gap of rick and poor, and what it means to be  blessed – pinagpala or pinuspos – is be poor or to be on the side of the poor, the oppressed, and  the marginalized. Blessed are poor… blessed are the hungry… blessed those who weep…  Mapuspus kayong mga maralita… kayong mga nagugutom… kayong mga nagluluksa… because  during the time of Jesus more than half of the population were starving to death. There was constant  death and torture by the Romans and the local padrino-kings and principalities – hence there was  also constant weeping or pagluluksa of mothers and wives losing their children and their husbands.   The vision of Jesus in the gospel of Luke starting with his own mother is put on the same level the  mighty who exploit the people and poor people from below who are exploited, to bring the rich  and the poor into the middle class and doing so, mawawalan na ng upper class, lower class, and  middle class.   So paano natin ito idudugtung sa all Saints weekend? Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng pagiging Santo  o Banal? Does this mean ang pagiging banal ay naachieve ang isang state of life na hindi ka na  nagkakamali o nagkukulang? Ibig sabihin ba ng banal ay absolute trust and perfect faith kay Jesus  Christ? Does it mean to say praying 3, 5 or 7 times a day?   I find inspiration first and foremost sa mga katolikong Santo tulad ni Bishop Oscar Romero of El  Salvador na ipinaglaban ang mga mahihirap sa kanyang bayan at buong tapang na tinuligsa ang  injustices and oppression ng gobyerno at militar. Like Jesus his Lord, he stood up and spoke to  remove the gap caused by injustice. Pero yung gap ay hindi lamang socio-economic although  palaging factor yan… sa karanasan nating LGBTQIA+ meron ding gap sa atin because how church  and society looks down and puts down our sexuality and gender identity and so, I find inspiration  and comfort with our own Troy Perry and Richard Mickley, for each of their own courage to  remove the social, economic, political, and spiritual gap of society relating to queer people.  Economic gap din kasi yan na hndi ka makakuha ng maayos na trabaho kasi ginagamit laban sayo  ang pagiging LGBTQIA+ mo. Hindi ka makakuha ng ayuda and other government services kasi  queer ka at hindi kinikilala ng batas ang relationship nyo ng partner mo.   So what does it mean to be a saint – isang banal – sa panahon natin ngayon.   It means that we carry the mission – the cross – of Jesus and the saints and martyrs after him – forward. Ang pagiging santo ay ang pagbibitbit at pagsusumikap sa misyon ni Hesus to pull down  the mighty from their thrones and uplift the lowly so that everyone will be middle class – yung  buhay na sapat para sa lahat. Buhay na hindi sobra-sobra pero hindi rin kulang. To be a saint is to  participate in removing the social, economic, political, and spiritual gaps that separate and oppress  people. If you, me, we do each of our part to eradicate these gaps… maybe, just maybe we will be  worthy to be called saints and counted in the great cloud of witnesses.  Because to be a saint is not to claim it for yourself. Never. Hindi ikaw ang magsasabing santo ka  in the same manner na hind imo idedeclare ang sarili mo bilang Pastor or Bishop. It is God and the  people of God who calls you saint and considers you worthy to be counted to the communion of  saints. It is God who knows our hearts and it is the people who sees and discerns our service and  character.   Let us remember the saints and martyrs who came before us and who went ahead of us into the  blessed realm. May we learn from their lives and struggles, and find inspiration to continue our  own participation to the blessed work of Jesus Christ of pulling down the mighty and raising up  the lowly, and blessing the poor, the hungry, and those who are weeping. Tungo sa mundong wala  ng mayaman o mahirap… puro middle class na lang

Our Pastor’s Month series continues with its fourth installment, featuring guest preacher Rev. Gina Perez (IFI). She shared her compelling testimony as a female priest, emphasizing that answering God’s divine call is not constrained by gender or any other external category. The post Rev. Gina’s Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For our third Sunday of Pastor’s Month, Pastor Gary Chan of Free Community Church Singapore shares his story about forming the only queer-affirming church in his country. His preaching emphasizes that we are all called to be participants in our communities, rather than being just mere spectators or receivers. He also touches on subjects of healing which is rooted in love. The post Pastor Gary’s Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For our second Sunday of Pastor’s Month, Rev. Carleen Nomorosa opens up about the unique struggles she faced pursuing her pastoral vocation while being raised by two lesbian mothers. The post Pastor Carleen’s Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

This Pastor’s Month, Pastor Joseph San Jose shares his journey of becoming the pastor of Open Table MCC – a story of faith, struggle, and shepherding a radically-inclusive church for queer and progressive people. The post Pastor Joseph’s Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

The divide between many in the LGBT+ community and institutional religion is deep, carved out by years of exclusion, judgment, and spiritual injury inflicted by churches. For those who feel called to both their authentic selves and a spiritual life, how do we bridge this great divide? How do we build new bridges of radical inclusion, unconditional love, and mutual respect? What is the role of a “bridge” in the context of bridging religion and spirituality? The post Bridging appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In this preaching, we will discuss about the concept of accountability from both a spiritual and societal perspective. Spirituality acknowledges two aspects of human existence: being “wonderfully made” in God’s image, and also being imperfect with destructive tendencies. A central theme is the widespread difficulty people have in admitting they are wrong. This problem of accountability affects personal relationships, communities, and even government officials, and often stems from a culture that equates accountability with revenge or punishment. We need to distinguish true accountability from revenge and anger, emphasizing that the process of accountability is a way to heal broken connections through grace and restoration. Accountability is a way for grace to restore and transform individuals and requires a humble spirit to admit wrongdoings, which is a difficult but necessary step for personal and spiritual maturity. The message extends beyond the personal to the communal and societal levels, referencing biblical passages that provide a process for resolving conflicts within a community. Spiritual traditions, including Christianity, teach ways of accountability and restorative justice at all levels of life, and calls on the church to be a community that raises mature Christians who are accountable to one another and also hold those in power accountable for the sake of restoration and justice. The post Accountability appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For the first sermon in our “Spiritual & Religious” Teaching Series, we explored a question that many of us have asked: “Is it really separate?” The question refers to the perceived divide between being “spiritual” and being “religious.” The sermon defined spirituality as a deep connection—to ourselves, to others, to nature, and to what we consider holy. It’s about how we care for and nourish these connections with love and compassion. This understanding of spirituality isn’t a solo journey; it’s inherently communal. Religion, on the other hand, comes from the word “religare,” which means “to bind.” Historically, religion was a way to bring people together through shared beliefs, stories, and rituals, providing a sense of community and a framework for life’s biggest questions. However, as we’ve seen, religion has often been associated with negative experiences. For many, it conjures up thoughts of rules, judgment, and divisiveness. We acknowledge that religion, when it becomes legalistic or hypocritical, can cause harm. Our main takeaway from the sermon is that spirituality and religion are not meant to be separate. A spirituality that is disconnected from the well-being of others is not true spirituality. And a religion that harms people loses its purpose. The work of our church is to be a safe space—a place where people who have been hurt by religion can find healing without giving up on their faith. Our goal is to foster a community rooted in love, relationships, and restoration. The core message of Christianity is simple: to love God, to love others, and to love ourselves. This is the foundation upon which everything else is built. We are called to be known by the love we have for one another, and in doing so, we can bridge the gap between spirituality and religion, creating a community that truly reflects the love of God. The post Relational appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Acts 2:1-21 NRSVUE Muli, isang mapagpalayang Hapon sa lahat, and Happy Pride! Gaya ng nabanggit natin two weeks ago, ang text natin for today ay sequel nung ascension story. And dahil nga sequel siya, from 40 days, tatawid naman tayo sa ika-50 days. Ang salitang “Pentecost” ay hango sa Greek word na “pentēkostē”, which means 50th.” Celebrated on the Sunday that falls on the 50th day after Easter, Pentecost is not just a commemoration, but a divine activation – the promise fulfilled. Eto na naman tayo. Just like nung ascension story, may feeling na parang tuloy-tuloy lang na naganap ang mga eksena. Pero yun pala, it took another week or so. From the time na umakyat na si Jesus sa langit, sunod na naganap yung isa pa nyang pangako, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Naalala ko tuloy yung first time na nagsulat ako ng sermon about the Holy Spirit. Isa sa mga tanong sa utak ko ay: So dumating lang pala ang Holy Spirit after ni Jesus? Eventually, nasagot ko rin naman. Because we know that even during the Old Testament, the Spirit was already active. But at that time, they appeared upon specific people, for specific moments—like with prophets, visions, and proclamations. Isa na nga dun ang prophecy about the Messiah na, by the time of our story in Acts, ay naganap na. Ang title ng previous sermon ko was “Mission: Completed,” referring to the completion of Jesus’ earthly mission. Pero hindi doon natatapos ang kwento. Ang mission natin ay nagpapatuloy. Hence the title of my preaching today: “Mission: Continued.” Sa Acts 2, sa araw ng Pentecost, we witness not just an event, but a moment of divine empowerment, isang surprise that changes everything. Like in the previous stories we’ve explored these past weeks, ganun na naman ang feeling ko sa text na ito. Ang lalim, napaka-profound, literally prophetic, and undeniably powerful. At maidagdag ko lang, napaka-dramatic din ng arrival ng Holy Spirit—may wind, may fire, may speaking in tongues. Pero rather than mag-focus sa question na “Did this really happen?” or sa scientific explanation ng mga events na ito, I found myself thinking: Napaka-queer! BONGGA! Imagine, rushing wind, dancing flames, ecstatic speech, if that’s not divine drag, I don’t know what is! And then, I thought about how beautiful this story is. If we look closely, we are reminded of the experiences of the very first Christians. Just like us, Hindi nila na-meet ang historical Jesus. They were holding on to stories, appearances, memory, and promise. Just like us. They were scared. Just like us. They were unsure about what was next. Just like us. But then something unexpected happened. God surprised them. And through wind and fire, they were not just comforted, they were transformed. Now let’s rewind a bit to remember how we got here. Our Easter series, The Gift of Surprises, started with the theme “Mission: Love One Another” Ang huling commandment ni Jesus  wasn’t about doctrine or rituals, but about love. Love for one another as a sign of being His followers. And we explored how that love shows up, especially in queer lives, in chosen families, in checking in, showing up at paggampan sa maraming ganap ng ating simbahan. And let’s be honest, the fact that we, as queer Christians, continue to love a faith tradition that hasn’t always loved us back? That’s already divine. In our second week, “To Be or To Do,” we reflected on how Jesus broke Sabbath rules to heal – and this healing wasn’t just physical, it was revolutionary. We asked ourselves if we want to be recognized—or if we want to act. We remember si Dr. Paul Brand, si Princess Diana, at si Pope Francis—each breaking through stigma, expectation, and status quo to bring compassion. And just like them, we are invited to choose substance over ego, pagkilos over parangal.  Then 2 weeks ago, in “Mission: Completed,” we stood with the disciples as Jesus ascended. Pero hindi siya nagpaalam na parang “goodbye,” kundi parang “your turn.” The mission passes on to us. He promises the Holy Spirit—and that’s what we receive today. Acts 2 is the moment when that promise breaks open. When the Holy Spirit descends, the disciples aren’t just moved, they’re activated. They begin to speak in different languages. And not just “foreign” tongues—understandable languages, spoken by the diaspora, the outcasts, the visitors. That’s the first miracle: People heard the gospel in the language they actually understood. Hindi Latin. Hindi theological jargon. But the language of their home. Their heart. Their mother tongue. And isn’t that what our queer ministry is? speaking the language people have been denied in churches for so long? Telling them: You are welcome. You are holy. You are fabulous. You are enough. Telling them that God doesn’t just tolerate you, God celebrates you. And doing so in our own lingo, bekimon, or just Tagalog with a bit of camp. Let’s not forget: when the Spirit came sa para sa mga believers, outsiders assumed they were drunk. Kasi nga, the Spirit made them loud, animated, passionate. Familiar? That’s us every Sunday! Loud, fabulous and unapologetic. But Peter responds: “No, we are not drunk. It’s only 9 in the morning!” And then he quotes the prophet Joel: Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young will see visions, your old will dream dreams. It’s one of the most inclusive visions in scripture. Walang age or gender limit, lahat ng uri, everyone, all flesh. And to think na isa ito sa mga unang sermon ni Peter sa pagsisimula ng Christianity, as it expands beyond Jerusalem, Antioch and the Asia Minor and Africa. Ang mga sinaunang preaching pala has always been about God’s radical inclusive love for all people, pero anyare dun sa ibang fans club ni Jesus? Parang na lost in translation ata.  And so today, as we celebrate Pentecost – the birthday of the church, let’s not treat it as just an ancient festival na medyo complicated ang history or isang cute liturgical moment. Let’s remember that this is our story, too. That same Spirit is in us. That same wind still blows. That same fire still burns. And in our church, this queer, DIY, sometimes-on-the-brink, sometimes-on-fire at agit church, The Holy Spirit is active. Mission: Continued. Because we still have queer kids hiding in fear na napipilitang umattend sa kanilang mga simbahang mapang husga,  We still have parents choosing to love quietly. We still have justice to fight for. We still have healing to do, in fact, a lot of healing, sa panahon ng impending na giyera, na pwede naman sanang maiwasan kung hindi lang sa EGO ng ilang lider at mga dabarkads nyang rich kids, lider na sinasabing galing pa naman sana dun sa promised land, Kaya tuloy ang laban against genocide, tuloy ang pagmamahalan, habang patuloy ang pagsigaw ng “Queer and Christian? Pwede!” Pentecost isn’t just about what happened back then. It’s about what God is still doing now. It’s about the Spirit showing up and performing during drag bingo, in HIV awareness, in our trans siblings bravely living their truth, in a church that refuses to die. It’s about fire that refines, not consumes. It’s about breath that fills, not suffocates. It’s about voices that rise, even if they tremble. Parang si Maricel Soriano as Terry while confronting Monique.  The Mission Continues.  And as we continue this mission today, we also remember something very special. Today is Father’s Day. At bilang bahagi ng ating queer community, we know that not everyone had a father who showed up with love, understanding, or tenderness. And yet, we long for that kind of presence, a protector, a supporter, someone who holds space when the world turns its back. For someone who had not just mommy issues, but also daddy issues, yes,I had both, a problematic parenting issue growing up, hirap ako sa mga honor thy father mo