All God’s people-even Earla

Earla rode her bike past St David’s and read the sign “LGBTQ Safe Place.” She asked her friend to bring her, and the morning Earla came to worship, our lives were changed forever.

The new woman wept. Every hymn, the Word proclaimed and preached, the sharing of the Eucharist, she wept. Then her tears became my tears as Earla approached me later. With my usual hug of peace, we embraced, and I gave her every drop of Jesus’ love I had in me. I marked her with the sign of the cross and whispered, “You are a baptized, beloved and cherished child of the One who ‘imagined’ you into existence. What our divine Creator, has made, no human shall destroy.”

Earla, had been Earl all his life. A woman trapped in the body of a man, Earl married and raised three children, worked hard and did everything expected of him.

Earla said, “For all my 65 years, I wondered if God loved me, and today. not only did I hear it, but I felt it.” Earla died suddenly three months later.

Earla’s love is written on our hearts, she opened our eyes to the God of all people.

Compassionate Creator, your love teaches us not one of us is a mistake. Amen. — LP

Contributed by All God’s people-even Earla

Earla rode her bike past St David's and read the sign "LGBTQ Safe Place." She asked her friend to bring her, and the morning Earla came to worship, our lives were changed forever. The new woman wept. Every hymn, the Word proclaimed and preached, the sharing of the Eucharist, she wept. Then her tears became my tears as Earla approached me later. With my usual hug of peace, we embraced, and I gave her every drop of Jesus' love I had in me. I marked her with the sign of the cross and whispered, "You are a baptized, beloved and cherished child of the One who 'imagined' you into existence. What our divine Creator, has made, no human shall destroy." Earla, had been Earl all his life. A woman trapped in the body of a man, Earl married and raised three children, worked hard and did everything expected of him. Earla said, "For all my 65 years, I wondered if God loved me, and today. not only did I hear it, but I felt it." Earla died suddenly three months later. Earla's love is written on our hearts, she opened our eyes to the God of all people.
Eternity for Today