Musical Prelude and Service.

Psalm 33:1-12 & Matthew 9:35-10:8
Sing to God a new song!
As our scripture study group discussed Psalm 33 on Monday, reflecting on the hope and the comfort
that is so much a part of these words, I found myself struck by this particular line.
Sing to God a new song.
We have so much to be grateful for. For the ways God offers us the assurance of love and welcome.
How God keeps promising us new life and new opportunities. The way God creates something new in
the shadow of death and destruction. The way God makes new things when all seems lost.
In that place, Sing a new song.
There is nothing wrong with our old songs, but there is also room for something new. There is
opportunity for new expressions of our gratitude, new words of praise and new ways of reflecting on
how God comes to us and heals us.
Sing a new song.
As I sit down every June to reflect on the need for Pride, I confront a question that seems to linger.
Why do we need to declare our allegiance to the 2SLGBTQ+ movement? Not everyone who identifies
as part of the rainbow community, is looking for a church home. But those who are seeking such a
community of faith, need a reassurance that they are safe walking through the doors of a church.
That they are not being scammed or deceived. It is important that if we are inviting and welcoming
people, regardless of where they are coming from and where they are on their journey, that we are
genuine in our declaration that we recognize everyone as image bearers of God who are loved and
valued for who they are and how God made them.
It is a fact of history. Churches of all stripes have preached hate and isolated and shamed people in
the LGBTQ2S community for years. The question of ordaining openly gay and lesbian ministers
created a divide in the United Church of Canada that that we are only beginning to heal from. A great
many people are wary of entering and participating in the worship of churches. Movements like
Affirm that work with congregations to provide training and tools to be welcoming and safe spaces
are a big help. So, again, why Pride in 2026?
Perhaps a brief look at the history can be of help. Pride has its roots in the Stonewall riots in New
York in June of 1969. While gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people had struggled for a long time
prior to this against the blatant and all too often violent persecution they constantly endured, against
a legal system that made their sexuality a crime and often named it a mental illness, this series of
uprisings became a catalyst for a movement to change things. In fact, the Stonewall Riots are named
after the bar police chose to raid with the intention of arresting the young gay patrons who
frequented that establishment. It was particularly well-known for the drag queens of colour who were
patrons of the Stonewall Inn.
Naming the movement; or at least the series of parades and celebrations that grew out of this, Pride
was purposeful. This is an act of resistance. Those who paraded were saying they would not be
shamed into silence.
People were and still are, constantly told to hide who they are. To keep their honest identity hidden
behind locked doors; to keep it in the closet so to speak. Their sexuality was something to be
ashamed of. Pride was an opportunity to declare who they were. That they were not ashamed to be
gay, to be lesbian or bisexual. That they were trans.
A great deal of progress has been made on LGBTQ rights over the decades. Some would argue the
need for Pride days, or months, or Sundays is passed. In fact, I struggle with speaking in the past
tense versus the present tense in this reflection. I speak of the history of the movement while also
acknowledging that so many of those struggles remain very current.
Sadly, our friends and our neighbours find that protecting those hard-won rights is a constant fight.
There are still groups and organizations that would be happy to return to a different time. Our
friends, or family members, our neighbours, may not feel as safe as we would hope. There remains a
great deal of suspicion, anger and hatred. Even promoting this service on Facebook resulted in a few
side eyes; as did our PIE Day promotions in March, when people questioned if we truly follow God’s
commandments.
So yes, being clear, both in our public invitation, but also in the words of our praise and gratitude in
worship is important. I see it as crucial to express who we are and who we want to be, both in our
public statements and also in how we pray and how we sing.
Sing to God a new song.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus commissions his disciples to speak for him in going out to the
communities around them. Now, he restricts their movements in his initial orders. Don’t follow roads
that lead to Gentiles or to Samaritans. That can seem problematic. But again, when we look at
Matthew’s gospel in full, we need to remember that in the end, Jesus commissions those same
disciples to take their message to everyone. To baptize all nations and to teach his commandments
to love and to serve your neighbors to everyone they meet.
I suspect, and I will confess this is only my speculation, that as he initially sends these followers out
to talk with new communities, he urges them to stick to the people they know and the people who
would know a group of Galilean fishermen and tax collectors. Don’t start with suspicious or
antagonistic Gentiles and Samaritans.
Jesus first sends his disciples out to share the Good News of God’s love; to offer healing, because he
looked at the crowds clamouring to see him and encounter him, because he saw how they were
harassed and helpless. He had compassion for them.
Jesus responds from a place of love and compassion. Jesus recognizes the torment of the people
around him. He does not see people who can grow his power. He does not see who fits in a neat and
tidy box and will put more money in his purse. He sees people who yearn for healing and recognition.
He looks at the crowds gathering around him and wants to invite all of them into his community. And
so, he gives direction to his closest students to heal, to teach. He tells them to love.
We are called to love. And while we might be aware of people who pick and choose a few verses
here and there to justify keeping people from fully joining a community, I find myself more compelled
by scripture that tells us over and over that God made this world with love. That God looks at
creation; all of creation and expresses nothing but that love.
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever. At some point, everyone who has faith believes they
understand what God wants for us, and what God wants us for. When we read scripture, we are
deluged with commandments and rules and guidance. Often that can seem contradictory and there
are certainly commandments that seem to urge us to be selective of who should be included in our
communities.
But, in my experience and my study, I am constantly brought back to the story of Jesus, who
preaches of good news to the poor; gives sight to the blind. Jesus who when asked what the greatest
commandment is said to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind and all your
soul. And to love your neighbour as you love your self.
Who then, added all the law and all the prophets hang on those two commandments?
I choose to read everything else in scripture through the lens of those commandments and through
the lens of love. Not just our commission from Jesus to love one another and to share the Good
News of God’s unending love, but the realization that we are created in God’s love. That when God
gazes upon this creation, God continues to love us and desire nothing but love for all of us.
I have not been commissioned to be a gatekeeper selecting who is allowed to sing and to pray and to
seek a deeper relationship with Jesus the Christ. I am given no power to dictate how the Holy Spirit
moves in and amongst those who gather in a community of faith. I am commissioned to love and to
serve my community. I am commissioned to invite everyone to join me in song, in reflection and
prayer. I am commissioned to share my story and my faith and my understanding of how God works
in me and in others to create a new earth of love, of mercy of peace and of welcome.
I am called to share the Good News of God. The God who created this world in love and who
revealed that love in the form of a rainbow that shows the beautiful diversity of creation in all its
colours. A rainbow that emerges as the light shines through the water particles that remain after the
storm. God is there in our struggles and may be more visible in the sunlight that follows. But God’s
love endures forever. Thanks be to God.
Whether we sing a new song or one we know by heart, may we continue to sing our thanks and our
praise, together; with love and in harmony with all those who join us in wonder, in curiosity and in
faith. Joining together to create a constantly renewing community of love, of welcome, invitation and
of faith.
Thanks be to God. Amen
Rev. Warner Bloomfield

Music provided with permission through licensing with CCLI License number
2701258 and One License # A-731789