Open Table MCC Sunday Worship Podcast

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25 NRSVUE Sa Isang progressive church na intentionally mulat sa mga katarantafudahan ng bayan at mg Mundo, we are always confronted with the hardest question pag pasko and then later pag pasko ng pagkabukay… Is there something to celebrate sa kashitan na ito? But we are reminded na Hindi porket maraming kashitan, Tayo ay magpapatalo at magpapalugmok sa mga tae ng kasalukuyang kaganapan. Advent reminds is that there is always hope and our hope is based on the action of God throughout history. Kaya mahalagang mag-alam natin ang history because it proves to us thay things do get better eventually. Advent reminds that our peace does not come from the kings and emperors of this world but from the king of heaven who chooses to lower himself and become human, poor, a servant, and someone willing to die. Ang kapayapaan ay nagmumula sa kanya at ipinakita rin nya sa kanyang naging buhay paano natin maaachive Ang kapayapaan sa pamamagitan ng paglilingkod sa isat isa.Advent reminds us that there is joy and we must actively pursue joy. Mariz reminds us that Joy is rooted in grace and growing from the soil of ministry and Advocacy. Joy through ministry and Advocacy is our act of resistance against sa kashitan ng Mundo and it is a gift of God through community and shared work. Lastly, today, last Sunday of Advent, we are reminded in all of this it is always about love from love and towards love. Love that is not abstract but love na bodily – nagkakatawan – and intimately relational. Pag-ibig na gustong makipag ugnayan, nakikipag-kapwa, at nais yumakap at humipo. Eto any pag-ibig na Ang pangalan ay Emmanuel – God with us. God through us. Sa lahat ng paalalang ito ay kung paano Tayo nag-ambag at nagparticipate sa Open table, merong dapat ipagdiwang ngayong pasko at sa pagtatapos ng taon. Merong pag-asang masayang inaabangan para sa darating na taon in the face of all the shittiness now and will also continue to come. Mary and Joseph as Immanuel Sa last Sunday of Advent and our last worship of the year magandang paalala ang ating scripture reading tungkol sa pagkakatawang tao no Hesus ayon sa gospel of Matthew. Ang buong gospel of Matthew ay tungkol sa presensya ng Diyos na kasa-kasama natin. Yan Ang main theological frame and linchpin of the gospel of matthew. It reminds us that Jesus is Immanuel – the living presence of God among us… But I want us to also look at this story a little differently. I want us to also realize that in the Story the presence of God to the Son of God was also Mary who chose and decided to conceive Jesus and give birth to him. She didn’t have to. She could say No especially when it will most likely get her into trouble and danger. But she said yes to the danger and to the physical struggle and pain of child bearing and child birth. Joseph also embodied Immanuel – God’s presence towards Mary and Jesus – when he decided to continue his marriage with Mary and not have her stoned to death for adultery. Despite his own internal struggle, shame, and pain, he accepted Mary and her pregnancy. She believed his dream when he does not have to. Unlike Kay Mary na Meron talagang nagpakitang anghel, so Joseph, nananiginip lang. Ano bang Malay nya kung lerler lang sya Ang under a lot of stress that caused that dream. Baka gusto nya lang paniwalain Ang sarili nya. But he kept faith and did not have Mary put to death. Or kahit Hindi na nga put to death, Sabi sa gospel, he just wanted to divorse her in secret para Hindi na mapahamak so Mary. But even with that, paano na lang si Maria bilang deborsyadang batang ina? Hindi man sya ma stone to death, how will she survive as a young mother divorced so young? She was poor and from a poor family herself. Peasante. So when Joseph decided to keep Mary as his wife and believe a dream, and be a father to Jesus, he was Immanuel to them. Pero Hindi lang si Mary and Joseph ant Immanuel Kay Jesus. Later the wise men who gave them resources to help them start over and who also decided not to go back to herod. Then sino-sino pa kaya any mga kapamilya, kapit-bahay, at mga kaibigan ni Maria at Jose na naging Immanuel sa kanilang pamilya at Kay Hesus? We are Immanuel to Jesus in our midst Our advent story and indeed Christmas tells us not only God’s presence in and through Jesus but God’s presence in and through Each one of us for each other lalong-lalo na sa kashitan na nararanasan ng isa’t Isa at ng ating kapwa. Not only that Jesus is God’s presence to us. But it is also how we are God’s presence to Jesus who is among us. After all Sabi nga ni Jesus rin whatever good you have done for the least of this, you have done for me. Sabi rin ni Paul that Christ lives in and through us. Paano Tayo Immanuel din para Kay Hesus sa mga naghihirap ay nagdudusa sa ating paligid. Paanong Yung mga nasa paligid natin ay naging Immanuel para sa atin sa mga oras na Tayo ay nahihirapan, nag-iisa, nasasaktan, at nalulungkot. Paanong Tayo bilang open table, – community and a body – paanong Tayo rin ay katawan ni Kristo and presence ni God for our queer siblings and straight allies? Paanong Ang ating straight allies are God’s presence to our community of Open Table MCC? Reflection questions: As we end 2025… Let us reflect and look back. Tayo ay magmuni-muni Sinu-sino Ang naging Maria, Joseph, at Hesus sa iyong buhay nitong 2025? Who were the people who cared for you and were there for you in those moments of difficulty, pain, or loneliness? Who are those who took the time para kumustahin ka at makinig sayo? Sino any mga taong naging buhay na katugunan sa mga panalangin mo this 2025? Where the persons who became your answered prayers? Who were those who cared for you if and when you got sick? Ako sa akin buhay at bilang pastor, syempre pagoda mirasol Ako every Sunday or some days and ang immanuel para sa akin ay si Lawrence pag minamasahe nya Ako after Sunday or after one lagare day. Siya rin ay nakikinig sa akin sa mga hanash ko sa inyo at mga kunsumisyon. Pero malaking Immanuel din sa akin this year so Jaetee, Rix, at mother Sean sa mga bagay na need ng pastoral care. Malaking bagay sa akin Ang iilang sa Inyo na nakakaalala, nanganganusta, at minsan may pa ayuda. Pero kahit Hindi, Yung simpleng pag gampan sa mga ministry ninyo ay isang malaking presence of God para sa akin bilamg pastor nyo. Salamat. Sa Inyo? Sino ang mga naging Immanuel sa buhay nyo this 2025? Paano naging immanuel any open table sa buhay nyo this year? Whether you are here for a long time or bago la lang… How does open table continue to be God’s living presence in your life and spirituality?Reflectik. 2. Paano Naman kayo naging immanuel sa kapwa nyo this 2025? In what ways have you embodied Jesus nitong 2025? Sino Ang nilapitan mo para kausapin, kumustahin, at pakinggan kahit na inconvenient? Was there a time and a person you went out of your way to give your time and attention even? Meron rin bang mga times that you were less of a presence of God to someone or might even be the opposite nitong 2025? How have you repented as per Ardy’s preaching? How have you changed?Last reflection as reminded by our gospel today and this preaching, how can you continue to be Immanuel for 2026? Paano kayo patuloy na magiging aktibont presensya ng Diyos sa darating na taon sa community na ito, sa inyong mga kapamilya at kaibigan, at sa iba pang higit na nangangailangan? Kahit matatapos Ang year of grace sa open table, paano ka magpapatuloy na daluyan ng kanyang grace next year? Because the presence of God is marked by grace. What acts of kindness and grace will you continue or commit to do for next year here and everywhere? As Open Table MCC with our year of faith, how can we live and embody our progressive and queer Faith bilang nagkakatawang presensya ng Diyos sa mga nahihirapan at nasasaktan? Bilang Open Table, paano Tayo magiging instrumento ng Diyos para maging kasagutan sa panalangin nh bawat Isa at ng iba pa? Sa lahat ng kashitan at katarantaduhan ng sa ating bayan, how can we continue to embody Emmanuel and give the hope, peace, joy, and love of God in our own way sa mas malawak na pakikibaka? Next year is our year of faith, at ako ay tiwala sa Inyo to do well next year while at the same time pinagkakatiwala ko kayo sa presence of God that is in each other and among us. I trust you and God among you to live out your faith with grace and to embody Immanuel this 2026. The post We Are Immanuel appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” Matthew 11:2-6 NRSVUE John the Baptist, the voice in the wilderness, the prophet who dared to speak truth to power, finds himself behind bars. And from that place of confinement, John asks a hauntingly human question: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” This is not a question from an unbeliever. This is a question from someone faithful, tired, disappointed, and confused. And that matters, because it tells us something important: doubt does not cancel faith. Suffering does not erase calling. Joy, in Scripture, is not the absence of struggle. What kind of joy are we talking about? Let me be clear: when we talk about joy, we are not talking about being cheerful all the time. Joy is not a mood. Joy is not hype. Joy is not pretending everything is okay. Biblical joy is deeper than happiness. Joy is a deep, abiding inner assurance, a settled confidence rooted in a relationship with God. It's the kind of joy that can exist even when the prison door stays closed, the kind of joy John needed while he was behind bars. Galatians 5:22 says: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” Notice the word fruit. Fruit is never manufactured by effort alone. Fruit grows when a tree is rooted, nourished, and abiding. You don't yell at a tree to bear fruit. You don't shame it into producing. Fruit is the natural evidence that life is flowing through it. Which means, if joy is fruit, then joy is not the goal – grace is the source. So What do we mean by a graceful ministry? A graceful ministry is not driven by pressure. It is not fueled by proving yourself. It is not obsessed with performance, productivity, or approval. A grace-driven ministry flows from this truth: God's love is already given. God's power is already at work. God's grace is already enough. It knows: This is not about my strength. This is not about my perfection. This is about Christ's work, not my résumé. That kind of ministry is marked by: Humility instead of control Patience instead of urgency Presence instead of performance And when ministry flows from grace, joy shows up. Not loud joy. Not flashy joy. But resilient joy. The kind that keeps showing up. The kind that listens without fixing. The kind that stays when it's uncomfortable. This is exactly what Jesus shows us in Matthew 11:2-5. John sends word from prison, asking if Jesus is truly the Messiah. Notice what Jesus does not say. He does not say: “Try harder.” “Believe more.” or “Get it together.” Instead, Jesus says: “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” And then He lists evidence of grace at work: the blind receive sight the lame walk the sick are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised the poor receive good news Jesus points John not to spectacle, but to restoration. Not to power, but to presence. Even in the presence of miracles, even in the middle of grace, questions still existed. John still asked. And I relate to that. Fact 1: I am a queer woman. Fact 2: I am a Christian. I am both of these at once. And I no longer hide who I am to make anyone else comfortable. Just like John, I am a discomfort for other people—sometimes even to my own family. I have lost relationships because of who I am and what I choose to do. But standing fully in who I am has taught me something about Jesus: His grace makes room. Jesus' ministry was not about shrinking people. It was about revealing truth and widening belonging. Yet even in the midst of grace, questions still exist. Even when I volunteer to contribute to this church—as your Hermana, your Community Connect Facilitator, your Inang Martha, and just your fellow churchmate—there are days I ask myself: “Am I really helping?” “Am I really showing up the way people need me to?” “Am I enough?” “Or… bida-bida ka lang? OA ka naman?” I have doubts. I have insecurities. But why do I still keep going? When Jesus did not condemn John. He responded with grace. And I realize: doubt does not disqualify me. Showing up is already ministry. I know that Grace is often uncomfortable. Grace stretches us. It challenges us. It calls us to love beyond what feels safe. Grace moves toward pain. Grace listens to the silenced. Grace meets the messy, the broken, the desperate. Grace reaches into the hardest places and says: You are seen. You are heard. You are loved. And maybe that's why this Scripture feels personal to me. I often find myself surrounded by people in pain. Many times, people open up to me about their hurt, their traumas, their vulnerable selves. Sometimes I joke na “parang magnet ako” …ehh ha? Bakit sa dami-dami ng puwedeng maattract… problema pa? Na para bang Google Drive ako ng chismis? But as I reflected with my wife Mikay, she made me realize: “Maybe you don't attract problems. Maybe you just refuse to turn away.” The truth is: I don't receive people's stories because I'm weak or strong. I receive them because I give the grace of willingness to listen. I practice ministry by being present: Someone who listens without judgment Someone who holds space Someone who says, “Your story is safe here.” I will give you a seat at the table. I choose to be present. And maybe, to me, that's what a graceful ministry looks like: choosing compassion over control, curiosity over judgment, presence over perfection. Jesus said in Matthew 11:6: “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” The word “offended” comes from a Greek term that literally means “to stumble” or “to be tripped up.” It's an invitation to stand firm in faith, even when following Jesus feels hard, messy, or different from what we expect. There is great blessing in holding on, in trusting Him, and in continuing to walk with Him, knowing that He is faithful, even when the path is unclear or challenging. Ministry is not a title, a pulpit, or a program. It's presence. It's staying when it's easier to walk away. It's listening to someone who's been silenced. It's letting someone fall apart without trying to fix them. Even in the face of broken systems, injustice, and chaos, choosing to show up with compassion is a radical act of hope. It makes grace visible. In a world like this, it's natural to feel small and powerless. To wonder: “Can my small presence really make a difference?” “Is showing up, listening, or offering help enough when problems feel enormous?” This is exactly where grace steps in. This is exactly where ministry begins—not in grand gestures or perfect solutions, but in small, courageous acts of presence. You don't need training to begin. You don't need perfect words. You don't even need to feel ready. Although, lest I get misunderstood, may mga bagay rin na kailangan ng training. Hindi pwedeng pastor na puro presence lang. Pero hindi rin pwedeng pastor na puro training lang, pero walang presence. Presence is the start and the beginning. There are ministries where puso at presence ang tanging kailangan. Listen. Stay. Care. Again and again. With your heart open. Because maybe the holiest thing we can do… is to keep showing up: Showing up for each other… messy, tired, hopeful. Showing up when it would be easier to walk away. Showing up when no one notices. Showing up when it hurts. The grace in showing up is a learning and training experience. Natututo rin tayo kapag when we show up. The kind of grace that Jesus lived… a grace that meets people where they are, and in doing so, gives birth to joy. Because maybe true joy come from accepting Jesus as He is, even when His ways challenge our expectations. Like when we choose to love someone the way Jesus loves: without condition, without hesitation, without needing to fix or prove anything. The joy in trusting God’s bigger plan and finding fulfillment in His presence, not worldly success or our limited human views. Because joy isn't the absence of pain. It's the fruit of grace. The kind that keeps loving, keeps believing, keeps listening, even when it hurts. Every time you choose presence over perfection, compassion over judgment, and love over fear – you are participating in ministry. You are planting seeds of grace that will grow into joy. So If someone here once listened to you, carried your burden, or made you feel less alone at some point, turn to them and say: “Thank you for showing up.” As we close today, let me leave you with this: Grace is the root. Ministry is the soil. Joy is the fruit. And when grace leads, joy follows. Stand firm in faith, even when you doubt. Because every act of grace you offer, every moment you choose presence over performance, every time you choose love over fear, you are planting seeds of joy in a world that so desperately needs it. So I leave you with this question, to carry in your heart: “Will I let grace guide me—so that joy can truly bloom, in me and through me, for others?” The post Joy is the Fruit of a Graceful Ministry appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.' ” Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:1-12 NRSVUE Marami sa inyo dito ang tawag sa akin ay Ardy. Pero pag naririnig ng kapatid ko yang pangalan na yan, natatawa siya. Sa totoo, ako rin minsan, lalo na pag pinapakilala ako ni Jandi na Ardy sa friends at mga kakilala niya. Five years pa lang kasi yung pangalan na yan kaya hindi pa sanay yung kapatid ko, at minsan ako rin. Nung nag-out ako 5 years ago, I chose that nickname. Ayoko nang ipakilala yung sarili ko as Rhick, lalo na as Deuel. And looking back, it's not actually about me wanting to be called differently, kasi unang-una mas madali yung Rhick. Ang Ardy, two syllables. It's about me wanting to be known differently. I wanted to create this new self, this new identity. And so 5 years after, weeks after my birthday, napatanong ako, sino nga ba talaga si Ardy? Was I able to actually live differently? Was I successful in building this new self? Was I able to transform myself? Si Jandi alam na alam ang sagot sa mga tanong na yan. Yang mga questions na yan, obviously, hindi dumating sa akin out of the blue. When I was studying the scripture reading, na-fascinate ako kasi hindi nga pala bago itong konsepto ng transforming oneself. In Matthew 3:2, John proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which is usually simply translated in English as to change or to transform. Hence, the call to transform oneself isn't new. Even before Jesus, people were already called to be transformed. Digging into the historical context of this story, this call from John is an invitation for the people during his time to be renewed. If we go one verse back, this story of John is actually a bit theatrical because he appeared in the wilderness. So meron siyang ganung atake. Kaya naman John is actually a very queer Biblical character, not in a total SOGIESC sense, but in how he used strange fashion and lifestyle not to stand out, but to remind people of a story. Very draga. He intentionally wore, sa verse 4, clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. Why? To look like Prophet Elijah. Bakit niya gusto magmukhang propeta? He wanted to be like the prophets of ancient Israel. He wanted to remind people of what happened to the Israelites when they didn’t follow God’s commandments. Kaya dun siya umeksena sa wilderness because it served as a stage that would amplify his message. He wanted to remind people that the true essence of the covenant and commandments is to show the world that there is a different way of living, of being. God gave ancient Israel a framework on how to set themselves apart from other nations. And so proclaiming the message of repentance from the wilderness must remind the Jews to become the people that Israel had been called to be from the very beginning. The past generations failed, and in verse 10, he declared that the time had arrived, God is offering a final opportunity. Therefore, John’s call for repentance is a call to transform oneself: to have a complete change of mind and heart, inviting people to be baptized to publicly proclaim that they are setting themselves apart from the ways of their world. Now, sa atin ngayon, what does the call for repentance mean to us? What does transformation of self mean to us? Syempre, hindi yan mag-start sa paggawa ng bagong nickname. Pwede niyo rin gawin iyon, but gaya nga ng tanong ko sa sarili ko, yes, gumawa ako ng bagong name for myself, but did I really undergo a genuine process of becoming transformed into someone new? Samahan niyo kong sagutin yang tanong na yan by exploring two steps on how to gain true metanoia. The first step is to think about what we’ve done or how we’re currently behaving. For some, this could be difficult, self-reflection is a heavy task. Because as humans, we tend to overlook things about ourselves. In my case, I didn’t get to fully understand my worldview after I left my former religion. I grew up believing that Jehovah’s Witness is the true religion, the only group of true Christians. But what's interesting is that I didn’t actually fully realize na talagang years of my life, I believed that only one particular group has the monopoly on God’s approval. Kaya nung naging part ako ng Open Table as Ardy, nasa sistema ko pa rin siya. I had this thought na progressive Christian groups or individuals who are progressively leaning lang ang totoong mga Christian. In some degree, yes, we do proclaim God’s radically inclusive love better, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people from other Christian groups who are also trying to be as Christian as possible and follow Jesus in their own big and little ways. As a matter of fact, I realized I can still actually learn a lot of things from them. One of the things that I am transparent about dito sa journey ko of transforming myself is that prayer is still a difficult thing for me to do. Kaya nung nagkita kami ng friend ko, she's from an evangelical-ish church, I was so jealous that she can actually pour her heart out and articulate her gratitude for the year 2025 so beautifully in just a prayer for dinner. Why did I feel spiritually superior to people who are in non-affirming communities when I know that a personal relationship with God is possible maging sino ka man? Kaya I figured, it's actually a need to have moments of reflection and to understand if we’re truly different from who we were. I actually remembered a conversation from the ministry planning. Apparently, some of us are still uncomfortable in spiritual practices from other cultures and religions. That’s perfectly understandable. Some of us were raised to believe that non-Christians will rot in hell or, dati ako, I believed na papaulanan sila ng meteorites during Armageddon. But as we undergo metanoia, ganung klaseng Kristiyano pa rin ba tayo? Do we still gatekeep the divine and believe that everyone else is damned if they're not Christian? For some people, this first step may look different. Those who aren’t out and are just coming to terms with their gender and sexuality, maybe there's a need to be more aware of an inner voice that screams internalized homophobia or transphobia. For those who are still with their non-affirming church communities, they may need to assess if hiding parts of themselves is worth it just to stay within the faith community, or how their double life affects their genuine connection with God. For those who just left their former churches and are in the process of deconstruction, how's your spiritual life? Have you abandoned prayer and scripture reading? Maybe at this point, some of us are done with these big questions involving identity and spirituality. Then what questions are left for us? Mark 12:31 offers an answer: Love your neighbor as yourself. As we wish to be transformed, we must also think if we lack in charity, if we are greedy, if we participate in exploitation or violence. Big words noh. Sige, liitan natin: kaya ba nating maging mas aware of how hostile we could be in online conversations? Or kaya ba nating maging mas aware sa ating tendencies na maging elitista or classist? Do we converse with kindness and claim accountability sa mga actions natin or are we rude, di nag-iisip bago magsalita (sobrang kota na ko dyan this week) or parang regina george kung umasta? We can ask ourselves, In what ways can I love my neighbor better? As we assess ourselves, we also have to go through Step 1.5: acknowledge who we are or what we’ve done and feel remorse. This part of repentance and yes, repentance as a whole, could be a challenging process for LGBTQ+ people. Yung salitang repent pa nga lang, diba, was weaponized by most of our previous churches. Bakla ka? Repent. Immoral yan? Repent. It was used to make us feel lesser and undeserving of God’s love. But now that we have a better understanding of what it means, I’m telling you, we have to repent. We have to repent because we sin. Walang immunity ang mga bakla dyan. We don’t automatically get an A+ sa commandment ni Jesus. Sumasablay tayo araw-araw. So we don’t get a free pass for the things we’ve done and for the things we’re doing that aren’t aligned with Jesus’ commandment. Yung ating sexuality and gender identity, based on science and biblical-theological scholarship ay hindi naman talaga kasalanan to repent from, pero marami pang ibang bagay na we need to repent and transform from. Regardless of gender and sexuality, we have to feel sad, bad, and remorseful for those things, for the pain we caused others, for the hurt and injustice we inflicted on our friends and people around us, for the bad habits and self-destructive behaviors we let ourselves experience, for the shame we caused ourselves. To be truly transformed, we have to go through those painful moments of being ashamed for the harmful things we've done to other people, and in moments where we are greatly disturbed by godly sorrow. Now, what's the second step? To answer that, let’s further examine the word metanoia. The prefix meta means to change, and the root word noeo means to think, to understand. And so when we combine those morphemes, it’s more accurate to say that metanoia is a specific transformation: it's a change in the way we think, the way we understand things; therefore, it’s a change of our life’s direction. What's that direction? We’re in the season of Advent, and there’s a reason why John’s call for repentance is part of the Advent lectionary. It's a call for us to not just be transformed for ourselves; it's a call for us to be active participants of the Advent. Advent is about longing for the Kingdom of God, for justice, and the end of oppression. But the question is: how? Anong transformation ang ine-expect sa atin? Ine-expect ba sa ating lahat na magiging full-time ministry leaders tayo, magiging full-time social justice advocates or activists? For some people, probably yun ang direkyson nila. Pastor Joseph is an example: from a corporate worker, nag-transform siya into a seminarian hanggang naging ordained pastor. Baka iba sa inyo similar din ang maging transformation. But in Luke 3:10–14, there’s a comforting story. Wala ito sa Matthew. Tinanong ng mga tao si John, “So ano gagawin namin?” Sabi ni John: yung may mga dalawang balabal, i-share niyo yung isa sa wala; yung may food, mag-share din. Tinanong siya ng mga tax collectors, “Teacher, ano gagawin namin?” Sabi niya, “Huwag kayong maningil ng sobra; yung itinakdang tax, yan lang kokolektahin niyo.” Yung mga sundalo tinanong din siya, “Kami, anong gagawin?” Sabi niya, “Huwag kayong mangikil at huwag kayong magparatang ng mali.” Anong matututunan natin sa kwentong yan? Nakita natin na hindi pinag-resign ni John yung tax collectors and soldiers sa kani-kanilang trabaho. Yung mga ordinaryong tao, sinabi niyang magtulungan kayo, share what you have. Hindi naman niya sila niyaya lahat sa wilderness. Therefore, John’s invitation is an invitation to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. That's the direction. And so this also invites us to learn to love ourselves better. Sabi nga ni RuPaul, “If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” One example that I have is coming out of the closet. Yes, it's indeed difficult to come out, dangerous for some even. But coming out of the closet gives you more opportunities to participate in loving others. Like here at Open Table, you can participate better in the ministry work, testify in front, represent the church, and all other things. And outside Open Table, you can also be more involved in advocacy work. And just in your personal life, you get to express yourself better in public and be more authentic in dating, etc. In the same manner, learning to love our authentic selves, transforming into our true beautiful selves, opens us to more opportunities to express genuine love to other people. However, in all our different ways, totoong hindi madaling mahalin ang sarili ng buo at gayundin ang iba. Magkukulang tayo along the way. Pag nagkamali ba tayo, ibig sabihin failed na tayo sa “transforming ourselves”? No. Remember God’s grace. I want to read what Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, wrote about repentance: “This is the beauty of our faith—that repentance gets to be a continual action. This is the beauty of our faith, not that we once were bad but now we’re good, but that Softly and Tenderly… Jesus is calling us out of the empty promises of our personal and cultural trances and into what is most true and most real—this present moment, where the kingdom of God is at hand… [Repentance] is not like the three tries you have to remember your password before the system locks you out. The gates of repentance are always open.” Five years forward bearing this new name, Ardy, with God's grace and because of love, yes, there are areas of my life that I could say I was able to change significantly. But sometimes I act like a kid, like the sheltered boy that I was. I'm not perfect. But I'm a work in progress, and so are you. We need to be continuously transformed by love and grace. And I hope that in this season of Advent, we spend time to reflect and to be truly transformed. At lalo na malapit na ang 2026, time to create our New Year's resolution na madalas di napapanindigan. But maybe this time around, maybe hindi na natin need hintayin ang New Year. As we observe Advent, let’s allow God to transform us into our true selves: the person God uniquely created and calls us to be. Amen. The post Journey of Metanoia appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:33-43 NRSVUE The Paradox of the Crucified King So the reading today is surprising, isn’t it? Did you wonder if it is Holy Week? Is it Good Friday today that we have the crucifixion? Now it’s a lectionary reading. It’s the reading today of almost all Catholic and mainline protestant churches who use the lectionary. It is the reading now because it declares that the king, the sovereign, the monarch for Christians is someone who is not on a throne, on a classic golden chair, but the throne of the one that we call king is someone who is nailed to the cross. The one that we proclaim Lord, King, Savior is someone that the early Christian movement in the first century saw as Lord and Savior. They believed that in the person of Jesus of Nazareth—someone who was born with and into and among the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized. It’s not just that Jesus welcomed the marginalized. Jesus is part of the marginalized, discriminated, and oppressed people. Jesus' Background and Shame His mother is a peasant from Nazareth. His adopted father, foster father, is a carpenter. No, in some parts of the gospel he is referred to as, “is this not the son of the carpenter?” In short, construe “isang day laborer,” a carpenter. In other parts of the gospel, there’s no mention of his father. He was referred to as “is this not the son of Mary?” What does that mean? Like in our song earlier about shame, right? That’s a shame. It means you are an illegitimate child. You are born out of wedlock. Because there was gossip (“chismis”) that Mary was the talk of the town because Jesus was conceived even before Joseph and she were officially and liturgically married. There were rumors that perhaps Jesus was the son of another man. So this Jesus, as he started to preach and do ministry, miracles were ascribed to him—someone who came from Nazareth. As one apostle later said, “is there anything good that comes out of Nazareth?” So meaning, not only did Jesus have many issues regarding his personhood, but he also came from a place considered bad, where nothing good comes from. He knew shame. He knew what it means to live among, with, and as an oppressed person in those times; as a son of a carpenter, as someone who was gossiped about as being born not really of Joseph. He knew all of that. The True Son of God vs. Worldly Power And so when he started his ministry, naturally his ministry was for his fellow vulnerable people who were also exploited, oppressed, and discriminated. After his ministry, crucifixion, and supposed resurrection, the early Christians started to reflect on who this Jesus is. The Jewish Christians of the first century started to proclaim that if there is really a God—the God of ancient Israel, Yahweh of the covenant—this God is someone who was evident in the life, the words, example, and the miracle of this Jesus who came out from a place where no good comes from. If there is a God, this God is evident in the life of Jesus. That is why the Gospel of Mark, the first Gospel, declares in the opening line: “this is the gospel, this is the good news of Jesus Christ, son of God.” You cannot say that in those times; that will get you crucified because “good news” only comes from the “true son of God,” which is the Roman Emperor. You cannot claim the carpenter, the peasant, the one who was crucified as a rebel, is the Son of God, King of the Jews, and Messiah. That was unheard of and unbelievable to many in the first-century Roman Empire. But in the Christian tradition, God chose to be born in human flesh. For God so loved the world that the word of God became flesh and dwelt not just among us but became and dwelt among the poor and the oppressed and knew the life and the oppression of the oppressed. Leadership: Sacrificial vs. Self-Preserving This king is someone who is willing to die so that many shall be safe and set free, as compared to the kings, monarchs, senators, and presidents of this world where you have to die for them. Someone else may die except the politician. Isn’t it that the leaders of the world today are willing to let us all die (“mategi bells”) in floods and preventable disasters, as long as the leaders of the country are saved? Everybody else can die, everybody else can suffer except for the leaders of our country and the world. That’s the problem then and now. The leaders of the world play their “Game of Thrones” to the detriment of the masses. They use the people’s resources, but the ones who die and suffer are the common people. That is why the oppressed saw in Jesus a remarkable thing: someone who preached inclusion, someone who preached diversity, someone who uplifted those who were considered outsiders in society and religion. He welcomed all of them. He spoke on behalf of them. This Jesus denounced those who were considered as the sons of God in the temple and in the palace. Despite him being crucified—a shameful, the most shameful and painful way to die at that time—there were a group of people who proclaimed he is Lord, Savior, and Son of God. Reflection on “Wicked” and Judgment Earlier when I woke up, a video appeared on Facebook. I forgot his name, but he is an award-winning costume designer or stylist. He was talking about Wicked. He said—I screenshot it because I couldn’t remember the exact quote—he said this in his TED talk: “Wicked is about anyone who has ever been judged without speaking a word.” And the one speaking is a Black man. For those familiar with Wicked, who watched the movie or the play, you know the story. Spoiler alert. There was this green woman born with green skin whose birth was questioned—why was she born green? All her life, from a young child, she was hated and felt shame and excluded, not just by society but by the very family she is part of. The story goes that the establishment, led by the Wizard of Oz, started to blame the animals. The animals were like people; they were intelligent and could speak. He started a campaign to make the animals enemies, to imprison and torture them to such an extent that they could no longer speak. Elphaba, the green lady who later realized her powers, championed the cause of the animals and championed the truth about the Wizard who does not really have powers but just deception. The Intersection of Fiction and Faith This film and stage play resonate so much with the LGBTQ+ community, the trans community, or anyone—even if straight—who has ever been judged, shamed, or discriminated against for things that are not their fault. It’s a story of a person who was shamed but championed the cause of the shamed. Through an elaborate scheme, she was willing to die and remain an enemy to effect change and ensure the animals, who had been structurally and systematically made enemies of the state, were included back into society. She was willing to be the “bad one” in order for change to happen. Here is where I draw the intersection between Elphaba, the story of Wicked, and the story of the one who was willing to be nailed on the cross to be branded as a rebel, as an enemy of the state. Someone who denounced the “wizards” of his time inside the temple in Jerusalem and because of it was crucified. Challenge to the Believers So the question is, as fans of Wicked and as fans of the crucified one: Do we remain simply as a fans club, or are we really followers of the one who is willing to die for the greater good, especially of those who are vulnerable and discriminated? What does it mean for us—we LGBTQ+ people, great people who are “erehes” (heretics) for being allies of this community, we who are also considered wicked—what does it mean for us to be truly followers of these heroes? What does it mean to follow a peasant Jew in first-century Roman Palestine who was declared the bringer of good news and Son of God? How can we continue the story he exemplified? Let’s start with the 2028 election. You should vote for those willing to be nailed to the cross, not those who will nail us to the cross again. Conclusion: Transgender Day of Remembrance In closing this preaching, I also saw an Instagram post by someone who watched Wicked. It was a profound reflection that people are not necessarily totally bad or totally good. It’s a mixture of both. Perhaps the focus was on Elphaba and Glinda. That was also in the TED talk of the costume designer: Who decides who is bad, who is wicked, and who is good? Simply by the color and style of dress? It is true, we are a mixture of good and bad. None of us are perfect. But a pushback I have on that reflection is: while that is true, that is not a justification to be wicked. In Wicked, while Elphaba and Glinda have this dance of goodness and wickedness and PR, we forget there are two who are truly wicked: the marketer and the one marketed, Madame Morrible and the Wizard. They were the antagonists. While we affirm most people are a mixture of good and bad, of woundedness and shame, we must not fail to notice those who are truly responsible for the evils of this world. Those are the ones we need to challenge, just as Elphaba challenged the Wizard and Madame Morrible. So today, Transgender Day of Remembrance, let us remember our transgender sisters, brothers, and siblings who have it more difficult than most, who experience mental health issues, violence, and discrimination. We lend our voice and our prayers to them who are most vulnerable within the LGBTQ+ community. In the name of Jesus Christ, the one who was called wicked during his time, a rebel, and in the name of the fictional characters Elphaba and Glinda. Amen. The post The Place Called The Skull appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead but of the living, for to him all of them are alive.” Luke 20:27-38 NRSVUE This is the lectionary reading from last week because we didn’t have worship. This is a common lectionary reading when Advent is approaching. We are not yet in Advent, but this is a story that I sometimes preach at weddings and Holy Unions. I can preach it with my eyes closed because I’ve been using it for 12 years now in weddings. Based on this reading, the Sadducees, a sect of Jewish religious leaders, asked Jesus a parable question. The question arises because they did not believe in the resurrection from the dead or the afterlife. There is nothing in the Old Testament that says anything definitive about the afterlife. Did you know that? In the Old Testament, very rarely does it mention anything about the afterlife. The only thing mostly said in the Hebrew Testament is that the dead go to Sheol. Sheol is not hell; everyone in the Old Testament goes to Sheol, the land of the dead, where one perspective is that the dead are in a sleep-like state. There is also no mention of heaven or hell for the dead in the Old Testament. Since there is almost nothing mentioned apart from Sheol, there was a group of Jewish leaders in the time of Jesus who held two positions: either there is something we don’t know about because the prophets and the Old Testament did not say anything, or there’s really nothing to it. The belief was: when you’re dead, you’re just “poof.” This was the perspective of the Sadducees, in comparison to the Pharisees, the tradition Jesus belonged to, that believed in and preached about the afterlife. The Sadducees, who were the religious and political leaders in the temple, asked Jesus to challenge his knowledge and preaching through a parable. The parable tells of a man who married a woman but died immediately. Part of their law—the Old Testament Law, the Torah—states that if a man dies childless, his surviving brother is required to marry the widow. In the parable, the widow married the next brother, but he also died. This continued until all seven brothers died after being married to this woman. Finally, the woman also died. So here’s the question the Sadducees posed to Jesus: if the resurrection is true, who will be the legally recognized husband of this woman? All seven marriages were valid according to the Torah and the law. They could not imagine a woman having multiple husbands, although, conversely, one man could have multiple wives. A woman having seven husbands was unthinkable to them. So, the question: if the resurrection is real, who will be this woman’s legal husband in the new life? Jesus’s answer is: “When the time comes, there shall be those who are worthy of the kingdom, who will neither be received nor given into marriage, and they will be like angels of God who will forever be in God’s presence, praising, worshiping, and giving thanks to God.” That’s Jesus’s point. In the resurrection, no one will be received or given in marriage. I always say this during a Holy Union: if the resurrection and the Judgment Day are true—when we face God in our death—it means all marriages are void. That’s basically what Jesus is saying. To the question, “Who is the legal husband of this woman in the resurrection?” Jesus answers, “When the time comes, no one shall be given and received into marriage.” Marriage will cease. We will be transformed like unto angels of God. What this means is that who you are married to, who your partner is, or what your partner is, does not matter to your salvation. How you treat your partner is what matters. There’s a difference there. How you treat your partner? Yes. But who your partner is or whether you have a partner or no partner at all will not be the basis of your salvation. Basically, that’s what Jesus said. By extension, because marriage, at least in their context (and we can bring this to today’s context), is heavily gendered. Under patriarchal norms during the time of Jesus and even now under heteronormative patriarchal norms, pag-aasawa (marriage) is gendered. Some churches say it is only between a man and a woman because you have to bear children, and you can only bear children after you get the blessing of marriage. By extension, not only does marriage have nothing to do with your salvation, but your gender or sexuality has nothing to do with salvation either. In the same way that who your spouse is has nothing to do with your salvation, your sexuality has nothing to do with your salvation. However, how you practice your sexuality or gender expression and identity could have something to do with salvation. Even for progressive and LGBT-affirming churches, even though we affirm and proclaim that your same-sex relationship or your transgender identity is not a sin (based on our theological and biblical understanding), how you express that may or may not be good or bad. We can still ask, are gay people committing bad things? Yes. Are people still doing certain bad things with or without their sexuality involved? Yes. But their sexuality—our sexuality per se—is not a factor in our salvation or what it means to be a good or bad person. This week is Transgender Awareness Week, and this coming week is Transgender Day of Remembrance. To those people who are saying that being transgender or being gay is an abomination or a sin, I guess one particular affirming passage is this one. It’s also an affirming passage even for straight people, as it says that marriage is not the only path to a correct Christian life. Even having a stereotypical Christian life—that you have a Christian family, are married, have children, and are in the church—can be oppressive to some people, even straight people. Jesus tells us: it doesn’t even matter when the time comes. No one shall be given into marriage. All marriages shall become void. It does not matter. And here’s another beautiful point, especially for Transgender Month. It says that when the resurrection happens, we shall be transformed like unto angels of God. What does that mean? In the historical theological development of the concept of spirits or angels, either they are genderless (because they are spirits), or the spirit that manifests into a physical being can choose whichever gender they manifest themselves as. So, if we are to become, if this physical body is to be transformed in the resurrection of the dead like angels of God, then you are either genderless or “gender-full,” or a being with many eyes or many heads, as in the Book of Ezekiel. In this sense, the direction for whoever is “worthy of the resurrection of the dead” is to be transformed, to transcend the human body like unto the angels of God. So I am here to tell you, with the parable of Jesus and the answer to the Sadducees’ question, that in the end, it’s really just about us. How did we really live a life of kindness and generosity towards each other and people, especially the poor? This is Luke’s gospel, after all. I’ve said it several times: the Gospel of Luke is the most pro-poor, pro-oppressed gospel. The word ‘poor’ is mentioned in the Gospel of Luke more times than in the other gospels. The Gospel of Luke is where we find this story. And in relation to being pro-poor, there is an anti-rich message as well. The only thing that matters to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke is not marriage or being married, but how we treat the lowliest, the poorest, and the most vulnerable in our world. I challenge you this week: read the Gospel of Luke page to page. It’s only 24 chapters. You will see that Jesus’s primary concern—at least in the Gospel of Luke—is that salvation is about two things: The word metanoia (repentance), which in some cases is much better used as transformation. How do you transform yourself as a person? How do you grow as a person? Grow in love, in kindness, and in generosity. Growing in kindness and generosity towards those who are poor, oppressed, and the most vulnerable in our world. That is the biblical framing and core of the Gospel of Luke. The story of the rich man and Lazarus is only found in the Gospel of Luke. In that story, it is not explicitly said that the rich man did anything bad, but the rich man did not do what was in his power to do. He saw the poor man every day and did nothing. So at the end of it, whether you’re straight, you’re gay, you’re trans, you’re Black, you’re white, you’re yellow, whatever you are, however you identify—married, non-married, single, blessed, celibate, not celibate, whatever it is—the question of our lives will just be: How did you grow to be loving and kind to the most vulnerable among us and in the world? That is the only question of our lives. This is confirmed in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 25. When Jesus tells the story of the actual end of the world, the actual Judgment Day, he asks: “When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, did you give me something to drink? When I was a stranger, did you welcome me? I was naked, did you give me clothes? I was sick or in prison, did you visit me?” That’s the only question. “For if you have done this to the least of these, you have done it to me.” God will not ask about your religion. God will not ask, “Are you a member of MCC? Are you a member of the Catholic Church or the Born Again Church or any other church that claims to have the only salvation?” God will not ask. The question of our lives will simply be: “How did you grow in love and serve God by serving people?” Amen. The post They Are Like Angels appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

It's All Saints Weekend and the first Sunday of November.  November is also Transgender Awareness month.  So today we honor and remember our Queer Saints, especially those that we honor in this church  – Unang-una is of course our very own – Kuya Michael Mia and Choi Discipulo.   Then of course si Fr. Richard Mickley [...] Read More... The post Saints of Gaps appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Our Pastor's Month series continues with its fourth installment, featuring guest preacher Rev. Gina Perez (IFI). She shared her compelling testimony as a female priest, emphasizing that answering God's divine call is not constrained by gender or any other external category. [...] Read More... The post Rev. Gina's Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For our third Sunday of Pastor's Month, Pastor Gary Chan of Free Community Church Singapore shares his story about forming the only queer-affirming church in his country. His preaching emphasizes that we are all called to be participants in our communities, rather than being just mere spectators or receivers. He also touches on subjects of [...] Read More... The post Pastor Gary's Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For our second Sunday of Pastor's Month, Rev. Carleen Nomorosa opens up about the unique struggles she faced pursuing her pastoral vocation while being raised by two lesbian mothers. [...] Read More... The post Pastor Carleen's Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

This Pastor's Month, Pastor Joseph San Jose shares his journey of becoming the pastor of Open Table MCC – a story of faith, struggle, and shepherding a radically-inclusive church for queer and progressive people. [...] Read More... The post Pastor Joseph's Testimony appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

The divide between many in the LGBT+ community and institutional religion is deep, carved out by years of exclusion, judgment, and spiritual injury inflicted by churches. For those who feel called to both their authentic selves and a spiritual life, how do we bridge this great divide? How do we build new bridges of radical [...] Read More... The post Bridging appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In this preaching, we will discuss about the concept of accountability from both a spiritual and societal perspective. Spirituality acknowledges two aspects of human existence: being “wonderfully made” in God's image, and also being imperfect with destructive tendencies. A central theme is the widespread difficulty people have in admitting they are wrong. This problem of [...] Read More... The post Accountability appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For the first sermon in our “Spiritual & Religious” Teaching Series, we explored a question that many of us have asked: “Is it really separate?” The question refers to the perceived divide between being “spiritual” and being “religious.” The sermon defined spirituality as a deep connection—to ourselves, to others, to nature, and to what we [...] Read More... The post Relational appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. [...] Read More... The post Mission: Continued appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, [...] Read More... The post Mission: Completed appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many ill, blind, lame, and paralyzed people. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. [...] Read More... The post To Be Or To Do appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look [...] Read More... The post Mission: Love One Another appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, [...] Read More... The post The Joy of Life and Living appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going [...] Read More... The post Of Catching Fish and Feeding Sheep appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced [...] Read More... The post Believing in Doubt appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the [...] Read More... The post Easter: Surprised By Joy appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village but was still at the place where [...] Read More... The post Meeting Death and the Dead appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But [...] Read More... The post Meeting an Angel of the Lord appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking [...] Read More... The post Meeting God and the Prophets appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tested by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son [...] Read More... The post Meeting The Devil appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members and not all the [...] Read More... The post Grace in Community appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come and my deliverance be revealed. Happy is the mortal who does this, the one who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and refrains from doing any evil. Do not let the foreigner joined to [...] Read More... The post Favored: Queers Full of Grace appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain, for he [...] Read More... The post Choosing Grace and Slaying Demons appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [...] Read More... The post Grace Is Its Own Boundary appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

We continue with our preaching series on Grace which is also our year long guiding theme. During our first Sunday we talked about Grace in the metaphor of water and the oceans. And then last week we continued still with water on how to live by grace in the same way we use water. Today [...] Read More... The post Giving Grace appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

How do we live by grace in a world that still struggles with cruelty, hatred, and greed? Paano tayo magpapatuloy na mabubuhay at maglalakbay bilang mga progresibo Kristiano sa mundong patuloy na meron kalupitan at pagsasamantala? Anong magagawa natin bilang indibidwal at bilang isang maliit na simbahan? Parang powerless tayo or that what we do [...] Read More... The post Living By Grace appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before [...] Read More... The post Sino si Grace? Grace in the Flesh! appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

God's grace is an ocean, an endless sea of infinite love, a cosmos onto itself. It surrounds you, embraces you, warms you like the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, like your mother's loving arms, holding you, bringing relief. Grace is only ever given. Never bought, never earned. Every mystical experience is a remembering ancient knowledge [...] Read More... The post An Ocean of Grace? A “Progressive” Perspective appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city [...] Read More... The post Joy and Contradictions appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.' ” [...] Read More... The post Crying Out To God From The Wilderness appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are [...] Read More... The post Crying Out To God With Joy appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

There was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah [...] Read More... The post Crying Out To God In Shame appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cry for help rose up to God from their slavery. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them. Exodus [...] Read More... The post Crying Out To God In Suffering appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Does God have a gender and if God does, what is God's gender? Biblically speaking, God is anthropomorphically presented with both male and female attributes. Biblical verses that present God as Female or Feminine: Deuteronomy 32:11-12 – As mother eagle – As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, as it [...] Read More... The post Transgendering Of God In The Bible appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Are there “trans” or cross gendering saints and holy people in the history of the church? The Answer: Both Yes and No. Are there persons we can consider as saints or holy people FOR the transgender, fluid, and non-conforming Christians? The absolute and strictly male and female binary is mostly Western Christian Gender Construct and [...] Read More... The post Joan of Arc: a Saint for Trans and Gender Fluid Christians appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

My name is Allie (or Brigs if you know me through the internet), pronouns They/Them. I have been part of the community for two years now; though I realized that I'm not fond of talking about myself and preferred to listen and follow along conversations. Trying to recount particular notable stories in my life can [...] Read More... The post Now Testament: Allie Almazan appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

I grew up in Los Angeles, Southern California. Not wealthy, but okay. My father worked at carpentry. He made cabinets and dressers and other similar things. I grew up with both my mother and father, and one sister who is two years younger than me. Also, a dog that was a pain in the butt. [...] Read More... The post Now Testament: Don Mueller appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Hi everyone, I'm Mariz, ang tita nyong taga etivac na mapagmahal sa kawali! I am a cisgender female who identifies as pansexual – married to the love of my life, my wife Mikay.   I'm a late bloomer— I was once just an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, unlike many of you na bata palang [...] Read More... The post Now Testament: Mariz Carcillar appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

When Pastor Joseph first approached me to do a testimonial preaching and share about my life and faith, my initial reaction was, “Meron bang matutunan sa story ko? Parang wala naman.”  But let me try to summarize and unpack my 34 years of existence and see if there is anything that can be learned from [...] Read More... The post Now Testament: Joshua Cheng appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And [...] Read More... The post Laksamba: The Long Journey Ahead appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can. Scripture ReadingMatthew 19:12 (NRSVUE) [...] Read More... The post Potentials and Possibilities appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in [...] Read More... The post Growth and Refinement appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his work. He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph son of Heli, son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, son of [...] Read More... The post Being Raised By Many appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, [...] Read More... The post A Coming Of Age appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Nang malapit na siya sa Betfage at Betania, sa lugar na tinatawag na Bundok ng mga Olibo, pinauna niya ang dalawa sa mga alagad. Sinabi niya sa kanila, “Pumunta kayo sa susunod na nayon. Sa pagpasok ninyo roo'y makikita ninyo ang isang batang asno na nakatali na hindi pa nasasakyan ng kahit sino. Kalagan ninyo [...] Read More... The post Pride March Continues appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.

Bumalik si Jesus sa Galilea sa kapangyarihan ng Espiritu at sa buong lupain ay kumalat ang balita tungkol sa kanya. Nagturo siya sa kanilang mga sinagoga taglay ang papuri ng lahat. Dumating siya sa Nazareth na kanyang nilakhan. Gaya ng kanyang nakaugalian, pumasok siya sa sinagoga nang araw ng Sabbath at tumindig upang magbasa. Iniabot [...] Read More... The post Lumaya at Magpalaya Veks appeared first on Open Table Metropolitan Community Church.