It was a real gift to preach in Redding, CA in July. What a great community, with a history of LGBTQ+ inclusion. After preaching this sermon, I was told by a couple in the church that they were ready for my sermon because they had watched the Netflix stand up special Nanette by Hannah GadsbyContinue reading “Sermon on how to make life easier for folks on the margins”
Category Archives: LGBTQ
The Power of Symbols When People Seek to Make Us Hide
I’m excited to be speaking at a remarkable church in Ft. Worth this weekend about intersectionality. I’m even more excited about how much intentional hospitality they have already shown me. I don’t know if it’s that it’s this church or that it’s Texas or that it’s healthy church or that their pastor told them toContinue reading “The Power of Symbols When People Seek to Make Us Hide”
Could your church help your community find hope in the wake of the election?
Last weekend, people started reaching out to me because they were afraid, and they didn’t want to stay that way. They didn’t want to rage or burn things down; they wanted to find a way to contribute to their community, to help others overcome fear. So with the help of a PHENOMENALLY gifted intern, theContinue reading “Could your church help your community find hope in the wake of the election?”
On choices and Orlando
When I was in eighth grade, I saw a bumper sticker on a car (in Akron, Ohio) that said, “Honk if you support civil rights, religious liberty, gay rights, disability rights, women’s equality…” I turned to my mother and said, “I would honk for the rest of them, but gay rights?” My mother is reallyContinue reading “On choices and Orlando”
Can we talk about “the talk?” – teaching children how to protect themselves from “Protect and Serve”
I remember an incredibly uncomfortable Thanksgiving during Occupy Oakland. Not the cliche uncomfortable of Republicans and Democrats getting into immigration policy over the mashed potatoes and gravy. A friend of mine who had been arrested during Occupy for carrying an umbrella (the citation indicated it was a temporary dwelling, which had been banned from theContinue reading “Can we talk about “the talk?” – teaching children how to protect themselves from “Protect and Serve””
Upon receiving the Christian Church of Northern CA-NV’s annual MLK Award
This award was given to me on January 11, 2015 at Lafayette Christian Church during the CCNC-N’s annual MLK service. Following are my remarks upon receiving the award. I find myself thinking a lot about the previous recipients of this award, because they have all deeply shaped me. I’m in the land of Pacific SchoolContinue reading “Upon receiving the Christian Church of Northern CA-NV’s annual MLK Award”
My sermon at Cathedral of Hope a year ago
I am really honored that I got the chance to preach at Cathedral of Hope in Dallas when Jim Mitulski was interim minister there. I got to lead an anti-oppression/anti-racism training filled with 45 of the most amazing folks, and I remain in contact with several of them today. Cathedral of Hope has done soContinue reading “My sermon at Cathedral of Hope a year ago”
Christmas values – Day 9: Gloria in Excelsis Deo!
“Why do you think churches led by people of color are thriving while a lot of White liberal churches are dying?” asked a student at a class where I was on a panel of people of color representing the racial/ethnic ministries of our denomination. The person who asked is a friend of mine whom IContinue reading “Christmas values – Day 9: Gloria in Excelsis Deo!”
Christmas values — day 2: joy
I woke up this morning feeling sorry for homophobes. If you know me, you might be surprised by this reaction, because I don’t tend to suffer intolerance. And at some point in my young life I realized that God doesn’t screw up people, so if God made people gay, I probably shouldn’t keep telling GodContinue reading “Christmas values — day 2: joy”
The Myth of Street Smarts versus Book Smarts
Delivered June 13, 2014, at Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago annual Convocation. I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation andContinue reading “The Myth of Street Smarts versus Book Smarts”
Sandhya Rani Jha 