Today we are taking a break from Mark’s gospel and dipping into the first chapter of John’s gospel. The reading from John was a better fit for the theme of testimony and PIE Day, and since there are no scripture police in the United Church… 😉 Let’s listen to very poetic words about testimony:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
You may remember that the John that is referred to here, is John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, son of Elizabeth and Zachariah in their old age. He told people about Jesus. So what does that mean for us? What does it mean for us to fly the rainbow flag and have rainbow steps?
Let’s think about PIE: Public, Intentional, Explicit. And full disclosure, some of my reflections are based on reflections that Shane Goldie, a United Church ministry student wrote for Affirm United for use in congregations.
Public – Our Collective Voice
The power of the public realm cannot be overstated. Throughout history, public spaces have been the stages upon which the dramas of change and progress have played out. From the civil rights marches that wound their way through the streets of Washington to the peaceful protests in town squares advocating for environmental justice, the public domain has always been where silence is broken and voices are amplified. Today, we are called to continue this legacy. Being public in our affirmations means more than just private acceptance. It means visibly standing with those who are marginalized. It means not just welcoming diversity within our walls but also painting it in bold colours on our banners in the town square. Our public actions send a powerful message: everyone is valued, everyone is loved, and everyone belongs.
Cathy McLeod and I participated in a counter protest last fall when the ‘One Million March for Kids rolled out simultaneous marches across the country about sex education in schools. When I left the house that morning, with my rainbow clergy collar on, I have to say, I felt a bit on edge, it didn’t help that my husband said he wasn’t posting bail if I got arrested! 😊
Taking the ferry across to Halifax and walking to St. Matthew’s to meet up with some colleagues, I got both smiles of appreciation for my rainbow collar and frowns. And I realized that the trepidation I felt was only a small taste of what a trans or gay person may experience in many places if they don’t know that they are in safe space. Our steps and flag are a clear indication of our public stance, they are not just pretty decorations. We explored this a bit in the Thriving Churches groups this week in the section on Radical Hospitality. And something that I’d like to see this year is a rainbow sign on the building that you can see from the lights at the corner, because you can’t see the steps or the flag from that vantage point.
Intentional – Our Deliberate Actions
Intentionality is about making deliberate choices. It’s about deciding, every day, to create an environment where everyone feels safe and valued. This doesn’t happen by accident; it requires thought, planning, and, most importantly, action. Our intentions manifest in how we organize events, how we speak, how we listen, and how we learn. Being intentional means actively seeking out ways to be inclusive, to understand the diverse experiences of those in our community, and to reflect this understanding in our actions. It’s about being mindful of the words we use, the resources we share, and the spaces we create. Our intentionality is our roadmap to a more inclusive and loving community.
Part 3: Explicit – Our Clear Message
To be explicit is to leave no room for doubt. In the context of affirming diversity and promoting inclusivity, it means clearly stating our values and standing firmly by them. It’s about making our stance known, not just within our community but to the world at large. Our explicit message is a beacon for those seeking a safe harbour in a sometimes stormy world. Being explicit also means confronting and addressing the tough issues. It involves having difficult conversations about prejudice, discrimination, and injustice. It means not just acknowledging these problems but actively working to solve them. Our explicit commitment is a promise to never shy away from the hard work of building a better world. On Thursday afternoon, some of the Affirm Committee and others took pies out into the Public Square, I’m going to invite Ian Travers to tell you about that.
Good morning. Today is our fifth celebration of PIE Day. We had a very modest beginning in 2020 by giving pies to the Congregation only. Then along came Covid and we had to adjust our plans. We slowly expanded and in the following years gave pies to our Food Bank clients.
This year, we took another step in making a public, intentional and explicit statement about our support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We selected a dozen shops and businesses along Portland Street…our neighbours….and delivered pies to them along with an information card about PIE Day that Catherine and Cathy had developed.
The pies were wrapped in rainbow ribbon. The places we selected included: The Trainyard, Whiskeys, Taz Records, Kevin Murphy Hair, TD Bank, The Creperie, Renegade Records, Ramsey Investments, Wise Sandwish, The Canteen, Audrey’s Flowers and Janet’s Flowers.
For those of you who are familiar with downtown Dartmouth, you may have noticed that many shops display a rainbow decal in their front door and windows. The Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission has made these decals available to the downtown businesses. We chose the dozen locations to receive pies based on their display of the rainbow decal.
A group of us….Lynne, Diane, Wilf, Anne, Brian and myself…delivered the pies on Thursday afternoon. That was the day it really rained so we had to wrap the pies in plastic to keep them dry. We were done in about an hour and then gathered at a downtown eatery with Catherine to debrief and compare notes.
Without exception, we were very well received by all the businesses. The folks we spoke with were appreciative and thanked us for the pies. They were surprised a bit by the fact that a couple of people would drop by on a rainy afternoon and give them a pie….not a regular occurrence on Thursday afternoons apparently. People were delighted, touched, curious, thankful and pleased. Brian and Diane spoke with someone who shared a personal story about a family member who was part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Wilf and Anne spoke with another person who thought that “every day should be pie day”. Lynne and I spoke with someone who was excited about sharing the pie (and the story) with his friends right away. The poor weather may have actually worked to our advantage as there weren’t many shoppers out and about. We were able to spend a bit of time at each spot talking about PIE Day and St. James.
We had touched base with the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission a few days before delivering the pies to let them know what were planning to do. They were extremely supportive as well. We touched base with them again on Friday to let them know how things had gone….and to give them a pie. I believe that some photos were taken at some locations so watch their FaceBook for pictures of the event.
The bottom line is we took a big step in making a public, intentional and explicit statement about our support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We had no idea how we would be received, but the reception was completely positive. We plan to hold the event again next year…and will keep our fingers crossed that it rains that day.
The Power of PIE in Action
As we stand here today, in our own public square, let us embrace the full meaning of PIE. Let us be public in our support, intentional in our actions, and explicit in our message. As some seek to limit rights and love, let us continue to seek to expand those. It’s been 5 years since St. James officially became affirming. Just as John testified… we are not the light… but we can testify to the light of Jesus shining out of this place, creating a rainbow of love that encompasses all.
Thanks to be God for the challenge and the opportunity of following Jesus, amen.
John 1: 1-9
March 10, 2024 – SJ – PIE Day
St. James United Church Dartmouth 