Queerying Christmas 2C

We are taking a much needed break this week, so make sure you check out:

Disrupt Worship's take on Christmas 2

We will see you in the new year!

Queerying Names and Name Changing

River Needham, MA ThM has composed several liturgies connected to name changes. River has granted permission so that these may be used with attribution. queerying.org encourages a donation to River in honor and appreciation of her work.

Each liturgy has explanation for it in the document itself.

River's Eucharist for a service connected to a name change.

River's Baptism or Affirmation of Baptism connected to a name change.

River's Funeral for a Name that will no longer be used.

Queerying Christmas 1C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 2:41-52
⁴¹Now every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. ⁴²And when Jesus was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. ⁴³When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. ⁴⁴Assuming that Jesus was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for Jesus among their relatives and friends.

⁴⁵When they did not find Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard Jesus were beside themselves at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸When his parents saw him they were at a loss; and Jesus' mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your other caregiver and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”

⁴⁹Jesus said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Caregiver’s house?”

⁵⁰But they did not understand what Jesus said to them. ⁵¹Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Queeries for the text:
What is the festival of Passover? When is it?
What is important about the age of 12?
How do you find a missing kid?
Where did Jesus sleep for those three days?
When else does Mary treasure something in her heart?

What are your queeries?

Queerying All the Christmases

This post was originally published for Christmas 2020 and is being republished this year.

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River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh I: Isaiah 9:2-7

The people that walked in darkness have seen a brilliant light; on those who dwelt in a land of gloom light has dawned.

You have magnified that nation, have given it great joy; they have rejoiced before You as they rejoice at reaping time, as they exult when dividing spoil. For the yoke that they bore and the stick on their back— the rod of their taskmaster— You have broken as on the day of Midian. Truly, all the boots put on to stamp with and all the garments donned in infamy have been fed to the flames, devoured by fire. For a child has been born to us, a son has been given us. Authority has settled on his shoulders. He has been named “The Mighty God is planning grace; The Eternal Father, a peaceable ruler”— in token of abundant authority and of peace without limit upon David’s throne and kingdom, that it may be firmly established in justice and in equity now and evermore. The zeal of the Becoming One of Angel Armies shall bring this to pass.

Queeries for the text:
How have Christians misappropriated this text?
Who was Hezekiah?

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Tanakh II: Isaiah 62:6-12

Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchers, who shall never be silent by day or by night. O you, the reminders of the Becoming One, take no rest and give no rest to Her, until She establishes Jerusalem and makes her renowned on earth. The Becoming One has sworn by Her right hand, by Her mighty arm: nevermore will I give your new grain to your enemies for food, nor shall foreigners drink the new wine for which you have labored. But those who harvest it shall eat it and give praise to the Becoming One; and those who gather it shall drink it in My sacred courts.

Pass through, pass through the gates! Clear the road for the people; build up, build up the highway! Remove the rocks! Raise a flag over the peoples!

See, the Becoming One has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Announce to fair Zion, your Deliverer is coming! See, Her reward is with Her, Her recompense before Her. They shall be called, “The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Becoming One,” and you shall be called, “Sought Out, a City Not Forsaken.”

Queeries for the text:
What are tribute payments?
Who is colonized today?

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Tanakh III: Isaiah 52:7-10

How welcome on the mountain are the footsteps of the herald announcing happiness, heralding good fortune, announcing victory, telling Zion, “Your God is Queen!”

Hark! Your watchers raise their voices, as one they shout for joy; for every eye shall behold the Becoming One’s return to Zion. Raise a shout together, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Becoming One will comfort Her people, will redeem Jerusalem.The Becoming One will bare Her holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and the very ends of earth shall see the victory of our God.

Queeries for the text:

When did the Becoming One return to Zion?
What is the victory of our God?

 

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel readings.

 

 

Gospel 1: Luke 2:1-20

 

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the Roman world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. 

 

⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵Joseph went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 

 

⁶While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And Mary gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped the infant in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guest room. 

 

⁸In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of God stood before them, and the glory of God shone around them, and the shepherds were terrified. 

 

¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see— I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Becoming One. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly angel armies, praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors!” 

¹⁵When the angels had left the shepherds and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which God has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 

 

²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

 

Queeries for the text:

What was that night like for Mary?

Where was the manger?

What sort of workers were the shepherds?

 

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Gospel 2: John 1:1-14

 

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The Word was in the beginning with God. ³All things came into being through Her, and without Her not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴in the Word was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 

 

⁶There was a person sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷John came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through the light. ⁸John himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹The true light, which makes everyone vivid, was coming into the world. 

 

¹⁰The true light was in the world, and the world came into being through Faer; yet the world did not know Faer. ¹¹The light came to what was Faen own, and Faen own people did not accept Faer. ¹²But to all who received the light, who believed in Faen name, the light gave power to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of a man, but of God. 

 

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and pitched Her tent among us, and we have seen the glory of the Word, the glory as of a parent’s only child, full of grace and truth.

 

Queeries for the text:

Who is the Word?

How are light and darkness in conflict? How do they work together?

What is the will of those who are not a man?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

Queerying Advent 4C

Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 1:39-45[46-55]
³⁹In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her uterus. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among those who create life, and blessed is the fruit of your creating. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Leader comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by Becoming One.”

[⁴⁶And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Becoming One, ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸for She has looked with favor on the lowliness of Her servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is Her name. ⁵⁰God's mercy is for those who fear Her from generation to generation. ⁵¹She has shown strength with Her arm; She has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ⁵²She has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; ⁵³She has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. ⁵⁴She has helped Her servant Israel, in remembrance of Her mercy, ⁵⁵according to the promise She made to our ancestors, to Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham and to their descendants forever.”]

Queeries for the text:
In which days?
How often does a fetus leap in utero? 
How does that blessing continue? 
Which child is which?
What is God's favor like?
Who receives mercy?
What scatters the arrogant?
Whose thrones need brought down? 
Who is filled? Who is hungry?
What promise to the descendants?

What are your queeries?


 

Queerying Advent 3C

River Needham, MA ThM queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Shout for joy, fair Zion,
cry aloud, O Israel!
Rejoice and be glad with all your heart,
fair Jerusalem!
The Becoming One has annulled the judgment against you,
She has swept away your foes.
Israel’s Sovereign, the Becoming One, is within you;
you need fear misfortune no more.
In that day,
this shall be said to Jerusalem:
Have no fear, O Zion;
let not your hands droop!
Your God the Becoming One is in your midst,
a warrior who brings triumph.
She will rejoice over you and be glad,
She will shout over you with jubilation.
She will soothe with Her love
those long disconsolate.
I will take away from you the woe
over which you endured mockery.
At that time I will make an end
of all who afflicted you.
And I will rescue the crippled sheep
and gather the strayed;
and I will exchange their disgrace
for fame and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will gather you,
and at that time I will bring you home;
for I will make you renowned and famous
among all the peoples on earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before their very eyes
—said the Becoming One.

Queeries for the text:
What is crip?
What about crip joy?
How does God love?
How can fame end?
Why must fortunes be restored?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

Gospel: Luke 3:7-18
⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin 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 Hagar and Sarah. ⁹Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰And the crowds asked John, “What then should we do?”

¹¹In reply John said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”

¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

¹³John said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.”

¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?”

John said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of that one's sandals. The one who is coming will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷The winnowing fork is in hand, to clear the threshing floor and to gather the wheat into the granary; but the chaff will be burned with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.

Queeries for the text:
What's a brood of vipers?
What else comes from stones?
What happens to trees in fire?
Who has two coats? Who has none? How many coats do you have?
Who takes economic advantage today?
What other questions make their home in the heart?
What kind of sandals?

What are your queeries?