If you didn’t get out to your local LGBTQ Pride festivities -- no worries -- this episode is a Pride month celebration. Our own Pastor Casey Tinnin was elected the Grand Marshal of the Sacramento, California Pride Parade. What do you wear when you’re the Grand Marshal of a Pride parade? In the first half of this celebration, Casey recounts his experience, internally and externally, of representing and serving his community in Sacramento Pride. In part two of this episode, Casey sits down with author and pasto...
If you didn’t get out to your local LGBTQ Pride festivities -- no worries -- this episode is a Pride month celebration. Our own Pastor Casey Tinnin was elected the Grand Marshal of the Sacramento, California Pride Parade. What do you wear when you’re the Grand Marshal of a Pride parade? In the first half of this celebration, Casey recounts his experience, internally and externally, of representing and serving his community in Sacramento Pride. In part two of this episode, Casey sits down with author and pastor, Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson.
Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson is an African-American trans man who wears many hats. He is Pastor at Linden Hills United Church of Christ, media trainer with Auburn Seminary, leadership coach with The Center for Progressive Renewal, and a writer for The Salt Collective. He recently wrote the book, I Know What Heaven Looks Like: A Modern Day Coming of Age Story.
In addition to his new book, Rev. Richardson writes about and advocates for LGBTQ people, people of color and the flourishing of all. His works have appeared in Huffington Post Religion, The Root, Believe Out Loud, The Salt Collective, Rachel Murr’s Unnatural: Spiritual Resiliency in Queer Christian Women, Austen Hartke’s Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians, and numerous other national and international publications. He has also received awards and commendations for his service from Black Transmen, Inc. and the Stellar Awards for his work in global communication.
You will not want to miss this conversation between two men who, through struggle, have found their callings into ministry. The conversation, like Pastor Casey and Rev. Lawrence, is authentic, real, vulnerable and full of testimony to the power of finding Love in God and in people who know how to Love freely and abundantly.
Pride Month Celebration Part One w/ Pastor Casey (01:23)
Pride Month Celebration Part Two w/ Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson (18:03)
PASTOR CASEY’S SPEECH FROM SACRAMENTO PRIDE
My name is Pastor Casey Tinnin, I am the Pastor of Loomis United Church of Christ. I am the founder of The Landing Spot a non religious support group for LGBTQIA+ teens and their adult caregivers, the Co-Founder of Intersections a recovery group for ex fundamentalists and ex evangelicals, and a co-host on the podcast Irenicast. I want to say thank you to the four thousand people who voted for me. It is my deepest honor to be one of your grand marshals.
It recently has been said that the only way forward is for “everyone to be accepted.” This is true, however true love and acceptance comes with a deep since of humility and truth telling. Acceptance is not created by back door deals and forced participation. Love and acceptance comes when we are willing to tell the truth of our own lives and to take account of our own actions and how our actions are perceived.
Today, I am aware that as a gay cist gendered Pastor and for many in the LGBTQ+ community seeing a pastor stand before them is triggering. And so this morning I want to say I am sorry on behalf of God and Christianity for the violence that has been inflected upon you. For the ways spoken and unspoken that the message of Christianity has been coopted and used to harm each of us. Sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, body shaming…. I am sorry…
I am also aware of how cis gendered gay men and lesbians have fallen short in their support for the transgendered community. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and it is on the shoulders of those trans women who lead the fight at stone wall that we have any rights at all. But fifty years later it is still trans people, and trans people of color who are still the victims of abuse, hate, murder, infection, suicide, and homelessness. And apart of your suffering is because as cis gendered gay and lesbian people we have been complicit, and for that I am sorry.
Beloved family, the only way forward is together. There is a new wind blowing through this place, and my prayer is that it stirs among us and through our capital, and throughout the nation. We are in trying times, but we can not combat hate with hate, it is only love that can see us forward. Every week I see the boldness and courage of young LGBT teens in the work that I do that are looking for love and acceptance, and it is our job together to make the world a more safe and loving world for them. And in creating that world it will require us to take bold action, like we have seen the Pride Center Staff do. So thank you Pride Center staff… not just for standing up and living boldly this week but every day that you show up for the most vulnerable among us. You have stood with us, and we will stand with you. A powerful wind of change is blowing among us, may we be committed to rolling with it together and continuing to build the arc of justice together. Because the only way we truly rise, is together.
RELEVANT LINKS
From Pride Month Celebration Part 1 - Grand Marshal Casey
Video of Casey Speaking at Pride (posted by his church, Loomis Basin UCC) The Gay Pastor Fighting for LGBTQ Lessons at a Calif. School District (Advocate Article on Pastor Casey) Who will lead the Sacramento Pride parade? A pastor, an activist and Ms. Sacramento Leather (Sacramento Bee Article on Pride) Tinnin Up for Gay Pride Honor (Article from Pastor Casey’s Hometown Paper) The Landing Spot Ru Paul’s Drag Race (TV Show) Memoir of a Gay Pastor – Closets and Calling – 131 (Irenicast episode where Pastor Casey tells his story) Plans To Protest Sacramento Pride Parade (Video) Rajeev’s “Straight Pride” Facebook Post Stonewall Riots (Wiki) GLAAD calls for increased and accurate media coverage of transgender murders The Enneagram and Progressive Christianity – Two Two’s and A Four Walk Into A Bar – 127 (Irenicast Episode)
From Pride Month Celebration Part 2 - Interview with Lawrence T. Richardson
Linden Hills United Church of Christ (Rev. Richardson’s Congregation) Auburn Seminary The Center for Progressive Renewal The Salt Collective I Know What Heaven Looks Like: A Modern Day Coming of Age Story by Lawrence Tanner Richardson (Book - Amazon Affiliate Link) Our Whole Lives aka OWL (comprehensive sexuality curriculum) The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (Book - Amazon Affiliate Link) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Book - Amazon Affiliate Link) All-male historically black Morehouse College will admit transgender men (article)
THANK YOU
A special thank you to Lawrence T. Richardson for joining us this week. For all things Lawrence T. Richardson visit his website at www.ltrichardson.com. Also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
YOUR SUPPORT
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IRENCAST HOSTS
Rev. Allen O’Brien, MAT | co-founder & co-host | allen@irenicast.com
Allen is a venerator of emotionality. He thrives on education, peace, and interconnectedness— passions which permeate his work as pastor, writer, lover of all the things, and occasional vegan.
You can connect with Allen (@RevAllenOB) on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, & LinkedIn.
Rev. Bonnie Rambob, MDiv | co-host | bonnie@irenicast.com
As a pastor, activist, educator, mom, and possibility artist, Bonnie invites people into newness. She loves climbing trees, knitting and hiking while conversing with friends about smashing the patriarchy.
You can connect with Bonnie on Facebook and at Parkside Community Church-UCC
Pastor Casey Tinnin, MTS | co-host | casey@irenicast.com
Preacher, protester, everybody’s pastor. Casey geeks out on comic books, talking theology, politics, and sex. He’s most free when he is dancing, cooking with his partner Jose, or walking their dog Kole.
You can follow Casey on Twitter and Facebook, or you can check out his blog The Queerly Faithful Pastor or loomisucc.org
Jeff Manildi | co-founder, producer & co-host | jeff@irenicast.com
Chaser of tales and climax initiator, Jeff rises to the occasion, edging to a satisfying completion. Get your mind out of the gutter, we’re talking story, not sex. Jeff expresses his creativity by curating diverse ideas, energies and people.
Follow Jeff (@JeffManildi) on facebook, instagram & twitter. You can also listen to Jeff’s other podcast Divine Cinema.
Rev. Rajeev Rambob, MCL | co-host | raj@irenicast.com
Rajeev loves thoughtful and provocative conversation over food and drink, most often with his family. He’s a loyal, smart-ass friend who believes in the power of spiritual journeys. Feminist, Anti-colonial, Process Theology-nerd.
You can follow Rajeev on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
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CREDITS
Intro and Outro music created by Mike Golin.
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