A House of Prayer for All Peoples...

by Janet Yale

Discrimination diminishes us all. It takes life away from its victims and its perpetrators. It makes people cry. It erodes communities. It divides churches. There are no winners when we exclude people because they are different.

My partner and I are not of the same race. Ray was raised in Mississippi Delta during the 1940s and 1950s, when racial segregation was the norm. As a child, he was not allowed to drink from the white drinking fountains. Because he was Asian in a Black and White world, his mother told him to wait until they got home if he was thirsty. If we had tried to get married in that time and place, the local ministers, citing scripture, would most likely have refused to officiate. Those who were interracially married in that community were outcasts.

Ray had an older sister, Betty. One night she got very sick. Her mom took her to the white hospital, but they refused to admit her. She died a few days later, just shy of her eighth birthday. I never got to meet her, but my mother-in-law has shared stories about her with me. To this day, she grieves her only daughter's death. She recently gave me a picture of Betty which I keep on my desk. She was really cute.

Discrimination is still at work. It wears many disguises, but its effect is always hurtful. People are still dying of it. There are far too many congregations and clergy who, citing scripture, still refuse to honor and celebrate the love of same sex unions, refuse to ordain, or allow gay and lesbian people to hold leadership positions. I pray for an early end to this treatment of our brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that God will work through each and every one of us to help us examine ourselves, our churches, and our communities so that we may become better and more compassionate people.

I came to my first service at Plymouth Church in Seattle on September 16, 2001, seeking comfort in the aftermath of the horrific violence of 9/11. One of the first things I read in the order of service was these words:

"Believing that God's love transcends all human distinctions, Plymouth welcomes people of all races and cultures, of varied social and economic conditions, and regardless of sexual orientation. We seek to be open and affirming of all people; and we seek to call all people to the cost and joy of Christian discipleship."

I would not have joined Plymouth Church had I not known of the congregation's basic commitment to live into these words.

Amen.

Janet Yale works for Plymouth Housing Group which was begun by the Reverend David Colwell; he decided one homeless person in Seattle was one too many. Janet helps people transition from the streets and shelters into permanent housing. In her spare time, she paddles around in her kayak, wonders about all kinds of stuff, and sits around campfires singing, laughing, and talking with friends. She likes to email. You may reach her at: jlyale1234@yahoo.com.