Speaking Out Against LGBT Bullying

On October 4th 2010 in the Washington Post "On Faith" blog, Rev. Debra Haffner called for all religious leaders to speak out for LGBT youth in response to the recent gay youth suicides. 

"Our young people are dying because we are not speaking out for them. Ask yourself honestly, do the LGBT youth in your community know that you welcome and support them? How would they know? Would they come to you as their minister, rabbi, or imam to talk about these issues? Would a LGBT youth feel welcome in your faith community's youth group? What have you done to make sure that these youth know they are loved and supported, that you understand that they too are God's children?"

Her call, titled An Open Letter to Religious Leaders on Gay Youth Suicides: It's Time to Act Out Loud, resulted in sermons across the country.  Sample sermons below.

Clergy Respond in Sermons and Prayers

Rabbi Victor Lapell, Union for Reform Judaism, If Only Tyler Clementi Had Been to a Gay Synagogue

Pastor Phill Haslanger, Memorial United Church of Christ, The life of an Outcast

Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater, Pasedina Jewish Temple and Center, Coming out of our Closet Gay Youth Suicides

Rabbi Arthur Segal, Jewish Renewal, Derek Eretz Zuta + Rabbah

Pastor Maria Tafoya, Disciples of Christ, Where are the Others?

Rev. David W. Good, The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, CT, Sermons in Stone: Part IV - Everybaby and a Three Way Conversation

Cantor Dana Anesi, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, D’var Torah—Parashat Vayeira

Rev. Brenda Fletchall, First Christian Church, The Grateful Samaritan Luke 17:11-19

Rev. Lori Johnson, Trinity Episcopal Church, There is Something Wrong and Something Needs to Change

Rev. Tracey Robinson-Harris, First Unitarian Universalist Society of Middleboro, Belonging to a Place

Rev. Eliza C. Galaher, Wildflower Church: A Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Prayer

For Other Religious Institute Materials on Worship Concerning LGBT Issues

Acting Out Loud

This is a multifaith, online resource for faith communities that want to move beyond welcome toward a wider embrace of LGBT people and their families. Acting Out Loud explores the diversity of populations within the LGBT community and suggests dozens of practical steps that congregations can take to address the specific pastoral needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

A Time to Seek

A Time to Seek is a congregational study guide on sexual and gender diversity. Useful for individual study or group discussion, A Time to Seek offers an introduction to the science of sexual orientation and gender identity, and explores new understandings of Scriptural texts related to sexuality and gender.

Open Letter on Sexual and Gender Diversity

If you are clergy or a religious professional, click here to read and endorse the Open Letter, which makes a faith-based argument for LGBT civil rights and full inclusion in our faith communities. And encourage your colleagues to sign on as well! You may also download the Open Letter to share with members of your congregation.

Other Resources

Click on the attachments below to download the PDF versions of the sermons.

Attachment: 

Rabbi_Joshua_Levine_Grater_Sermon.pdf

Rabbi_Arthur_Segal_Sermon.pdf

Pastor_Maria_Tafoya_Sermon.pdf

David_W._Good_Sermon.pdf

Cantor_Dana_Anesi_Sermon.pdf

Belonging_to_a_Place.pdf

Prayer_share.pdf