It has been an extraordinary month for me.

On Easter Sunday, Sandy and I worshipped at a little Uniting Church at Southport, close by the South Melbourne Markets. A lovely space.

After the minister gave a welcome, a person was invited to read an ‘Acknowledgement of Land’. I was surprised by a stumbling over words and a gentle prompting from the minister standing supportively behind; but then, having concluded, and as the reader turned to go, the minister intervened and reminded the congregation that ‘today is International Recognition Day’ – so “would you like to say a few words?”’

In a deep and cultured voice the person thanked the congregation for accepting her as a Trans person.

‘Now you’re talkin’!’, I thought to myself. Unconditional acceptance and empowerment. This could be my spiritual waterhole!

It turned out I had ‘met’ the minister already, when I put together the video of the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage. She’s the one toward the beginning who is sitting on the grass and explaining ‘why we are walking’ and concludes the segment with the explosive ‘where were you?’. So I’d met her on the editing screen fifty times! –  a minister, an activist and an actor.

The other minister remembered meeting Sandy and I from 1988 when we had gathered at the ‘Fusion’ youth ministry training centre outside Sale in Gippsland, to prepare for the national ‘Bushfire’ Australian Bicentennial Community Arts Tour. (The fifty of us would travel clockwise right around Australia for the year – 1988.) He is more the philosopher and contemplative, but no less the activist.

After the service I went to thank the trans person for her courage and to let her know she had opened a door for me in my search for a spiritual home here in Melbourne. It turns out she has been in the music industry most of her life, had only been coming to (this) church for three weeks, and had been offered a niche running the sound desk and helping the church upgrade its technology. (I can already see the church being transformed into a performance space during the week.)

Every Sunday I am meeting someone ‘new’ or having only been coming the last few weeks.

Last Sunday I sat next to a German young man living in Melbourne. He is part of an online prevention of violence training team. He has a background in psychiatry and I think he does a lot of work with schools. He has had little to do with the church, but seems to be wanting to connect, having been influenced by Richard Rohr and his Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque in the US. We had a lot in common and talked for over an hour. We plan to catch up soon for a coffee.

The service last week focussed on two of the big issues of the week – violence by men to women and the Victorian government’s Truth and Justice process to “recognise historic wrongs and address ongoing injustices for Aboriginal Victorians” – the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission. (The Commission had just interrogated leaders of the Catholic, Anglican and Uniting Churches about dispossession, oppression and spirituality).

I was also given space to lead a lament for Gaza – a gentle musical prayer in the style of a cantor and sung congregational response, adapted from the song ‘Mercy Now’ by Mary Gauthier.   https://youtu.be/IT7NiFpJmvI
Here are the words:

1. The People of Gaza could use a little mercy now, – ( Ky – ri -e…)
To find some sanctuary, to get through their hell somehow. – ( E – lei – son )
We can’t imagine rights and freedoms disallowed; – ( Ky – ri -e…)   
(And) losing loved ones – they could use some mercy now. – ( E – lei – son )

2. Hamas fighters could use a little mercy now;  ( Ky – ri -e…)
Protesting occupation – no longer to kowtow. ( E – lei – son )
And all those paramedics doing the best as they know how –  ( Ky – ri -e…)
Hostage, wounded, starving…they could use some mercy now.  ( E – lei – son )

3. The Jewish people could use a little mercy now;  ( Ky – ri -e…)
A homeland given in guilt and hope, just hasn’t worked somehow. ( E – lei – son )
Hardliners of the Promised Land – ‘The Bible Tells Me So’; ( Ky – ri -e…)
Forgot the love of stranger – Jews could use some mercy now. ( E – lei – son )

4. The nations fuelling conflict could use a little mercy now; ( Ky – ri -e…)
Seventy-six years of warring pays well at home somehow. ( E – lei – son )
But guns and knives now haunt the streets, neighbourhood has soured; – ( Ky – ri -e…)
Those so-called ‘aiding’ nations could use some mercy now. ( E – lei – son )

Ending:
I know we don’t deserve it, but we could use a little mercy now; ( Ky – ri -e…)
Every single one of us could use some mercy now. ( E – lei – son )