The Queer Lectionary: 2025
The Queer Lectionary: 2025. is designed to be an alternative weekly lectionary for churches and studies based around relevant issues in modern culture. If you are looking to speak into more queer issues this lectionary is for you.
INTRODUCTION
Every Sunday, in churches across the globe, a shared rhythm pulses through the lectionary, a carefully curated selection of scripture readings that unites diverse denominations in a common thread of teaching. While each tradition may publish its own version, the underlying purpose remains: to guide and inform the spiritual journey of the affirming and queer faithful. Yet, in an increasingly polarized world, particularly one often hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, the need for voices that speak directly to the queer experience becomes ever more urgent.
The Queer Lectionary emerges from that very need. In a world where the calendar year unfolds with both moments of profound challenge and hard-won celebration for queer individuals, this resource offers a unique lens. It seeks to engage the traditional lectionary cycle through a queer theological perspective, weaving together scripture with the realities of contemporary life in 2025. The beauty of standard lectionary lies in its grounding in sacred text, allowing scripture to illuminate the present. The Queer Lectionary honors that tradition, offering weekly reflections that connect the ancient wisdom of the Bible with the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people today.
Whether you are a pastor seeking to create a more inclusive and affirming space for your congregation or an individual yearning for a deeper connection between your faith and your identity, this lectionary provides a guided path. It is an invitation to explore the rich tapestry of scripture through a queer lens, discovering new depths of meaning and understanding in the process. Join us as we embark on this journey, exploring the intersection of faith, identity, and the ever-evolving landscape of our world.
SUNDAY, MARCH 2ND, 2025
PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O God, our Creator, our Sustainer, our Guide, draw us closer to one another, we pray. Kindle within us a spirit of unity, a shared joy in understanding, that we may be of one mind, bound together in acceptance and overflowing with love for all. Grant us wisdom to discern true ambition, not as a striving for self-glory, but as a humble service to your will. Turn our hearts away from the narrow confines of our own desires, and open our eyes to the needs and interests of all your children. May we walk together in your light, seeking the common good and reflecting your boundless love.
Amen.
SUNDAY, MARCH 9TH, 2025 First Week of Lent - Ash Wednesday Week
GENESIS 3: 8-24
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring[a] and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor, you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree
about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil, you will eat food from it all the days of your life 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return. 20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O God, Source of all being, we lift our voices to you, seeking understanding and compassion. Open our ears to the untold narratives, particularly the story of Eve, and how her search for knowledge has been twisted and demonized. Grant us the grace to hear the humanity in all your children, even
those whose lives and choices challenge our understanding, even those whose paths diverge from the strictures of religious law. Teach us, O Lord, that our bodies are sacred gifts, bestowed by you, not to be dismissed or shamed, but to be explored, understood, and celebrated. Release us from the burdens of guilt and shame that surround pleasure and self-discovery. As we seek to unravel the mysteries of our own physical selves, kindle within us a deeper curiosity for the divine mystery that resides within each of us.
Amen.
SUNDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2025 Second Week of Lent - Week of St. Patrick’s Day
MATTHEW 6:16-18
16 “And whenever you fast, do not look somber, like the hypocrites, for they mark their faces to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O God, whose love knows no bounds, open our hearts to the true meaning of sacrifice. Teach us to be seekers of your presence in the quiet, hidden places, far from the clamor of public display. May we resist the temptation to make a spectacle of our faith or our longing for the inclusion of others. Instead, guide us to nurture and live out the promptings of your Spirit in the stillness of our hearts, with quiet confidence and deep humility. Grant us the strength to walk faithfully in the paths you lay before us, not for the applause of others, but for the quiet joy of knowing we walk with you.
Amen.
SUNDAY, MARCH 23RD, 2025 Third Week of Lent
LUKE 18:9-14
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his
breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O God, our constant guide, continue to lead us on the path of humility. May our religious identity not define us, but rather be woven into the fabric of our being, expressed through the grace of humility and the boundless power of love. Let these be our guiding stars, illuminating our interactions with one another. May we not enter sacred spaces to parade our need for you, O God, but rather may our trust in your divine presence radiate from our actions: in the quiet provision we offer, in the gentle humility we embody, and in the unwavering care we extend to all.
Amen.
SUNDAY, MARCH 30TH, 2025 Fourth Week of Lent - Trans Day of Visibility
PSALM 51:10-12
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O God, Searcher of hearts, teach us the true meaning of purity. Remind us that a clean heart is not merely defined by adherence to interpretations of morality, but by the purity of our intentions, the sincerity of our love, and the unwavering commitment to your will. Keep us ever in your holy presence, O Spirit, our Comforter and Guide. And when the world, even in the name of religion, seeks to deny our truest selves, when it seeks to condemn who we are or who we love, remind us, O God, that our joy, our strength, our very being, is found in your divine embrace.
Amen.
SUNDAY, APRIL 6TH, 2025 Fifth Week of Lent
JOEL 2:12-14
12 Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from punishment. 14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering or the LORD your God?
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, Source of all love and being, we come before you, hearts open and vulnerable. You see us, all of us, in our glorious and perfect identities. You hold the fullness of our joy, our pain, our rage, our tenderness. We bring it all to you, knowing that your love is boundless enough to contain it.
Teach us, Beloved, to embody your radical compassion. In a world that often bristles with judgment and spews forth hate towards those who love differently, who live authentically, gift us with your gentle strength. Help us to reflect your heart, a heart that embraces all, a heart that whispers "you are worthy," a heart that sees and celebrates the beauty in our diverse expressions of love and identity.
We thirst, Divine One, for acceptance, for belonging, for a world that reflects the expansive love you embody. Lead us to the waters of life, the waters of justice, the waters of affirming community, where we may drink deeply and be nourished. May we never thirst again for the affirmation that we are enough, that we are loved, that we are whole.
When the storms of prejudice rage, when the winds of discrimination howl, be our shelter, our solace, our shield. Be the fire that warms us in the cold, the gentle rain that washes away our fears. Be our Comforter, our Protector, our ever-present Guide, until the day when
all hearts open to the radiant truth of your all-encompassing love.
Amen
SUNDAY, APRIL 13TH, 2025 Sixth Week of Lent - Week of Good Friday
1 PETER 2:23-25
23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,[j] so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds[k] you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, in a world that perpetuates harm against the marginalized, the different, the "other," we turn to you. You, who understand suffering intimately, remind us of the justice that must prevail. In the sacred stories of redemption, in the powerful imagery of atonement, we ask that you take our hearts, tenderly guide them, and lead us in your path, you, our true and magnificent Shepherd.
Amen
SUNDAY, APRIL 20TH, 2025 Easter Sunday
LUKE 24:1-7
24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O Christ, Beloved, you, who first revealed the miracle of resurrection to women, reminding us that we often search for life amidst death. In what seems to be a broken and imperfect world, where systems contain sin and harm, may the story of your life, death, and resurrection shine through. Even when all seems lost, even when the world feels chaotic and unjust, remind us, especially in this season of rebirth, of the transcendent power of your spirit. Impart to us that same magnificent
spirit, so that we may embody your transformative love within our world.
Amen
SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH, 2025
ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8
1 For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven; 2 a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; 5 a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; 7 a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; 8 a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, remind us of the complexities of the moment. In a world teeming with diverse experiences—spectrum, motion, emotion, feeling, identity, sexuality, and ideology—remind us that you are present in every step of the journey. We ask that you reveal yourself within this
vast continuum, this beautiful spectrum of being. Assure us that you walk with us through fear to joy, through tears to laughter, through conflict to peace. You, O God, exist within every facet of the human experience. Be near to us, we pray, as we navigate the rainbow of all things.
Amen
SUNDAY, MAY 4TH, 2025 Celebration of Coming Out
ROMANS 8:31-39
31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son but gave him up for all of us, how will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ who died, or rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? 36 As it is written; “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, Source of all creation, who are we to claim or define who is your child? You, who fashioned all things, remind us that nothing can truly separate us from your boundless love. Be with us in our suffering, in our longing, in our vulnerability. Remind us, each and every day, that no earthly power, no ideology, no opposition, can sever the unbreakable bond we share with you. Let no force designed to harm us take root. Teach us to love with humility and reverence for all of humanity, for each person bears the sacred mark of your divine child.
Amen.
SUNDAY, MAY 11TH, 2025 Mothers Day
1 JOHN 4:7-12
7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent
his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Lord, we praise you for the ever-present love you show us. Continue to guide us, teaching us who is loved, just as our mothers knew their love for us. May we never forget who is beloved by you. Whether our experience of parenthood has been a source of joy or pain, remind us, O God, that you transcend the limitations of earthly families. Remind us that our chosen family, our identified mothers, our kin, are a gift, and that through their love, you reveal to us whom we shall eternally love.
Amen.
SUNDAY MAY 18TH, 2025 HIV Awareness
MATTHEW 22:34-40
34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which
commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Ever present One, in your infinite wisdom, guide us through the grandstanding of religious pronouncements. Teach us, O God, to pray with hearts, minds, and souls overflowing with love for you. Teach us also how to truly love our neighbors as ourselves. When self-preservation eclipses love for others, remind us to walk always in your abundant love and grace, extending that same grace to our neighbors.
Amen
SUNDAY, MAY 25TH, 2025 Memorial Day
PSALM 139:11-17
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and night wraps itself around me,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you
knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of light, God of grace and acceptance, show us the way when darkness surrounds us, when the night feels overwhelming. Guide us with your ever-present love, your light of wholeness. Remind us that, despite the limiting concepts of organized religion, our true identity was knit together in the womb, by you, O Jesus. Allow us to fully embrace ourselves, just as you, the magnificent artist, created us to be.
Amen
SUNDAY JUNE 1ST, 2025 First week of Pride Month
Ruth 1:16-16
16 But Ruth said, “Do not press me to leave you, to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there will I
be buried. May the LORD do thus to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you!”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the representation of female love within your sacred word. We give thanks for the powerful example of romance between Ruth and Naomi. Remind us, each and every day, that the bond between women is beautiful and divinely ordained. Grant the women in love in our world a love that endures, a love that commits, a love like that is exemplified in scripture, a love that encourages and draws them closer to you.
Amen.
SUNDAY JUNE 8TH, 2025 Second week of Pride Month
2 Samuel 1:25-27
25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places. 26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Almighty One, you alone hold that sacred title. We thank you for the examples of same-sex love within your word. Teach us, O God, from the bond between David and Jonathan, that we may be forever inspired by their profound connection. May their love teach us how to cherish our partners, even amidst a chaotic and unaccepting world. We ask these things in the almighty, ever-accepting love of Christ.
Amen
SUNDAY JUNE 15TH, 2025 Third week of Pride Month
Matthew 19:12
12 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.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Almighty One, maker of heaven and earth, you created the eunuch, giving us an example, however imperfect, a true north for accepting those who have bravely revealed their authentic selves. We pray for our trans siblings, those who live their truth for the sake of your kingdom. Lead all people toward a
divine acceptance of the fullness of spirit embodied by our trans siblings. We ask this in the name that moves mountains, our Lord Jesus.
Amen
SUNDAY JUNE 22ND, 2025 Fourth week of Pride Month
Psalm 139:13-16
13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O Creative God, thank you for the vibrant splashes of color on the tapestry of humanity. We celebrate the glorious diversity of our world, and we give thanks for our queer siblings who so beautifully represent your creative work. Remind us that you made us wonderfully, each and every one. Show us the paths out of hiding, out of fear. Reveal to us, and to a world that may not yet understand, the inherent beauty of your creation as it shines through our queer friends. We offer this prayer in the ever-creating hands of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen
SUNDAY, JUNE 29TH, 2025 Last week of Pride Month
Isaiah 1:16-17
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil; 17 learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, we thank you for the gift of freedom. We ask that you awaken those in our world who label the identities of others as evil. Show them, we pray, the power of mercy, kindness, and grace. Teach us all to continually seek justice, to care for the vulnerable, the marginalized, the widow, and the orphan. God, continue to teach us how to amplify the voices of the voiceless. We ask this in your holy name.
Amen
SUNDAY, JULY 6TH, 2025
Psalm 33:12
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12 Happy is
the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage. 13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind. 14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth— 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Lord, as nations exalt their power, we celebrate your transcendence above all earthly might. May we not boast in hollow victories and endless wars. Instead, may our boasting be rooted in the hope we find in you. We pray for those who govern, that they may be guided not by selfish ambition or the pursuit of fleeting approval, but by a desire to walk humbly with you, Lord. We offer this prayer in your sovereign name.
Amen.
SUNDAY, JULY 13TH, 2025 Non-Binary Peoples Day
Genesis 1:26-27
26 Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air
and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 27 So God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Creator, in your infinite creativity, you fashioned humankind. While scripture may sometimes present a binary view, remind us of the in-between spaces. Just as night and day require dawn and dusk, just as the ocean needs the shore to define the land, so too do we recognize the spectrum of your creation. You created them male and female, and you also created those who exist beyond those categories, those who are "them." Lead us, O God, to embrace these realities, to celebrate the full tapestry of human existence.
Amen
SUNDAY JULY 20TH, 2025
Jeremiah 33:19-22
19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 20 Thus says the LORD: If any of you could break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their appointed time, 21 only then could my covenant with my servant David be
broken, so that he would not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with my ministers the Levites. 22 Just as the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will increase the offspring of my servant David and the Levites who minister to me.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Mysterious and Merciful God, we stand in awe of your covenants. We look with reverence at the celestial dance you orchestrate, the planets in motion. Remind us today of the covenant you have made with us. Just as the grains of sand on the seashore and the stars in the heavens are beyond number, remind us of the infinite and mysterious nature of your mercy and protection.
Amen
SUNDAY JULY 27, 2025
Proverbs 22:1-6
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. 2 The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD is the maker of them all. 3 The clever see danger and hide, but the simple go on and suffer for it. 4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. 5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; the
cautious will keep far from them. 6 Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Lord of all provision, we thank you for the abundance of your creation and the constant movement of this world. We pray for those among us who struggle, even amidst the riches of the day. We pray also for those who possess such riches, that their hearts may be filled with generosity and care. Lead us to a passionate pursuit of your name and the goodness it embodies, rather than a pursuit of earthly riches that fade away. Remind us today, O God, of what truly matters in the grand scheme of life.
Amen.
SUNDAY AUGUST 3RD, 2025
Matthew 18:15-17
15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Lord of Justice, we thank you for the gift of dialogue. Guide us to engage in conflict thoughtfully, with love and care. Protect the vulnerable, and prevent those who cause harm from further hurting themselves or others. As we turn to your wisdom to resolve our disagreements, let us remember those among us who are voiceless, those who cannot safely express themselves. Guide them in peace, and bring into their lives those who will protect them as they pursue truth and healing. We offer this prayer in your mighty name.
Amen
SUNDAY AUGUST 10TH, 2025
Matthew 23:23-36
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside
also may become clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of uncleanness. 28 So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. 33 You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape the judgment of hell? 34 For this reason I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
All-knowing God, we thank you that there is nowhere we can hide, that even our innermost thoughts are known to
you. Comfort us with the safety of expressing the things within us that, left unspoken, could be corrupted by fallen systems. Guide us to those who are pure, both inside and out. Show us how to walk with mercy and forgiveness when we encounter those who present a false facade. We thank you, O merciful God, for your care and the protection, and God you provide for our minds and spirits.
Amen
SUNDAY AUGUST 17TH, 2025
Micah 6:6-8
6 “With what shall I come before the LORD and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Loving God, we are grateful for the ways in which you remind us of your goodness and mercy. You do not demand sacrifices that harm us, but you do require justice and kindness to flow
through us like a river. Guide us, O Lord, as we set aside our offerings, and lift up those who are let down by the systems of this world. We offer this prayer in your guiding grace.
Amen
SUNDAY AUGUST 24TH, 2025
Genesis 3:16-19
16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pangs in childbirth exceedingly great; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” 17 And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ’You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Merciful Creator, we stand in awe of the creative nature with which you formed us. As we grapple with narratives like Adam and Eve, and how these passages have been misogynistically
weaponized against women, gender and sexual minorities, Lord, teach us to slow down and listen for your voice amidst seemingly impossible moments. We believe that you can guide us through life's most difficult trials, even as we face the reality of death and the fragility of our bodies. We pray this in your guiding mercies.
Amen
SUNDAY AUGUST 31ST, 2025
Genesis 8:20-22
20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odor, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humans, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. 22 As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Understanding Lord, we thank you for the promise you made to all of humankind, the promise of protection from annihilation. As we navigate the broken systems of our world, we pray for your guidance throughout our lives.
You know every part of us. Keep us pure, keep us focused on what is right and good. We pray this in your fully understanding and merciful name.
Amen
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2025
Jeremiah 29:10-14
10 For thus says the LORD: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. 12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, 14 I will let you find me, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of provision, you care for us deeply, and for this we are thankful. Protect us from plans that are not for our well-being, plans that could harm us. Guide us on smooth paths, restore our fortunes, and gather us in places that draw us closer to you and away from
any form of exile. We praise you for your daily provision O God of the heavens.
Amen
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2025
Numbers 6:22-27
22 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them: 24 The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. 27 “So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Creator, we thank you for the blessings you pour upon us. Continue to shine your light upon us as we strive to reflect it back to you. Bless the places within us, and within our community, that have been told are wrong or unholy. Teach us to extend this blessing, even to those who seek to deny it to us. We pray in the name of the God who provides for all.
Amen
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2025
Proverbs 3:1-5
1 My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you. 3 Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and of people. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Spirit of Wisdom, keep us within the embrace of your grace. Guide us, and teach us to trust in your direction. When the world, or even religion, attempts to define who we are and who we love, remind us of your divine blueprint for our hearts. May we lean only on your understanding of our true selves. We thank you for your affirming presence in our lives and in the world.
Amen
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2025
Philippians 4:10-14
10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me but had no opportunity to show it. 11 Not that I am referring to being in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, we thank you for the support of all who seek you. We thank you for the gift of contentment, even amidst life's uncertainties. Guide us toward a deeper sense of peace in your presence. We trust in your guidance through every challenge, and lean on your strength in times of doubt. Thank you for your constant provision.
Amen
SUNDAY OCTOBER 5TH, 2025
Deuteronomy 31:1-6
1 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 2 he said to them, “I am now one hundred twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the LORD has told me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’ 3 The LORD your God himself will cross over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua also will cross over before you, as the LORD promised. 4 The LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. 5 The LORD will give them over to you, and you shall deal with them in full accord with the command that I have given to you. 6 Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of guidance and provision, as we step forward into the future, remind us of the promises you have made. Grant us courage and banish fear when we face opposition for who we are or who we love. Strengthen us to walk in your good work, regardless of the opinions of others. We pray in your powerful name.
Amen
SUNDAY OCTOBER 12TH, 2025
Psalm 21:1-5
1The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold] of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. 4 One thing I asked of the LORD; this I seek: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of joy, we thank you for the victories in this life, especially for those who have bravely shared their true selves and loves with the world. Guide us with strength, and grant strength to those around us to care for and protect those who love differently than some may approve. We acknowledge that your favor is not withheld from those whom some religions reject. Continue your provision, in the name that holds victory.
Amen
SUNDAY OCTOBER 19TH, 2025
Matthew 10:26-33
26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.32 “Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of protection, we thank you for your care in times of difficulty. Continue to lead us away from fear and abuse—physical, spiritual, and emotional. We ask for your constant protection from ideas and actions that threaten our well-being. God of the universe, look upon us with love and protect us always. We pray in your name.
Amen
SUNDAY OCTOBER 26TH, 2025 Halloween Week
1 John 4:16-21
16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate a brother or sister are liars, for those who do not love a brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Love, we thank you for the ongoing work of perfecting us in our faith. Teach us always to love one another, and banish fear from our hearts when we face uncertainty on our spiritual journey. Grant us confidence and courage until we are fully united with you. We pray in your holy name.
Amen
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2ND, 2025
Psalm 103:1-5
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Provider, you bless our souls in countless ways. May we never forget the joy of walking in step with you. You forgive all, heal all, and redeem all things. You satisfy our hearts and souls, and you make a way for us to love freely and authentically. We thank you for your boundless love.
Amen.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9TH, 2025
Colossians 3:15-17
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Spirit of Peace, reign in our hearts. We thank you for your presence with us, in body and soul. Let your word dwell within us, and speak to the places where traditional hymns and songs may have fallen short. Speak to us today, O God, and remind us that we are safe in your presence, no matter who we are, or who loves us.
Amen
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16TH, 2025 Trans Day of Remembrance
John 14:1-3
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine One, we come with heavy hearts to remember those lost due to violence against their trans identities. Guide us, as your ambassadors, to show our trans siblings that they are loved, affirmed, and belong in your kin-dom. May those who oppose the spirit of trans people be softened today, and cease their spiritual and intellectual violence born of misunderstanding. Protect our trans friends from the violence they face simply for being who they are. We pray in your protective name.
Amen
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23RD, 2025
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of safety, we thank you for your constant care and provision in times of need. We pray for those harmed by systems that oppress gender and sexual minorities, systems that keep them from your all-encompassing love. When fear arises, may we turn to you in prayer, remembering that you hear the cries of
the brokenhearted. Protect all our LGBTQ+ friends who fear for their lives. We pray in your powerful, protecting name.
Amen
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30TH, 2025 Advent Week 1 - Hope
Luke 1:46-55
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; 50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. 54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
O Coming God, remind us in this first week of Advent that you give voice to the lowly. You lift up those who have been made servants and elevate them to royalty. This Advent, remind us that you desire good for us, even when others pray that our queer friends would deny their true selves. Fill us with the hope that we are safe and right in our identities. Remind those who oppose us that there is hope in honesty and in embracing our true nature. We thank you, O merciful God.
Amen
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, 2025 Advent Week 2 - Peace
Isaiah 11:6-9
6 The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Equalizer, on this second week of Advent we thank you for your unifying
presence. Guide us in conversations with those who oppose the queer person, and with those who support, that we may demonstrate our shared humanity. Lead us to understand and live out the truth of your power to unite us under your name. May we lay down our quarrels and theological differences, and embrace one another's humanity, that we may live in peace. We place all this in your capable hands.
Amen.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 2025 Advent Week 3 - Joy
Galatians 5:22-26
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ[e] have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Holy Spirit, we thank you for the gifts you provide to all who call on your name. On this day, we call for an outpouring of joy, alongside peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control. Illuminate our joy, even in the midst of hardship. Fill queer individuals with joy, and fill our allies with joy. Show us how to love one another through our joy, even in the coldest of times. Remind us that there are no laws against our joy, our peace, our love, our kindness, our goodness, our faithfulness, our gentleness, or our self-control. We pray for a world where our identities and orientations are celebrated, and where no law can restrict who we are. We pray all this with joy today.
Amen.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST, 2025 Advent Week 4 - Love
Romans 12:9-21
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal; be ardent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly;[a] do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far
as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God,[b] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 Instead, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink, for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Divine Love and Mercy, fill us with love today. Keep us from anger towards one another, and show us how to love unconditionally. Leave justice and vengeance to you, Almighty One. For those who oppose what is most sacred and normal among us, show us how to love deeply. Let your love burn within us like a coal, subduing the impulse to retaliate. Lead us away from creating or participating in evil, and deliver us from it, that we may overcome it through you. Lead us to love others as you have loved us.
Amen
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28TH, 2025
Isaiah 43:15-19
15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down; they cannot rise; they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: 18 Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old. 19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
God of Vision, we thank you for all you have brought us through this year. You have shown us how to distinguish hate with love. Guide us, Lord, in the year to come, as we look to you, our wellspring of life. As we reflect on where we've been and our fight for equality in the world, show us the way forward in the year ahead. We thank you for all you have done this year.
Amen
