People sometimes ask: Is Pride a protest Or a party? And the answer is Of course Yes. And why not? Why not Rejoice as we resist Dance as we demand change Celebrate as we create community that delights in All of who we are? So bring all of that With you this morning....

We gather today in the presence of the old old story of death defeated by emptiness, of hope and newness triumphant over fear and separation. We come, hearts heavy with pain and anxiety, spirits flattened by exhaustion and apathy, vision darkened by strife and violence. We come seeking connection...

February is not for the faint hearted, I think.

In this hour may we be open To a rededication of treasured friendships, a renewal of spirit; May we relinquish the worries and anxieties of the past week, if just for this hour, and regain our strength Through this community of faith.