A Meditation on Gratitude & Thanksgiving
In the United States, today marks Thanksgiving, an annual holiday where millions traditionally convene around a table to share questionably cooked poultry with extended family or close friends.
For many of us, that description doesn't quite fit our typical holiday experiences. It's something we see depicted on television and social media, but perhaps it's been years since we last sat around a table with family or even heard from them. Many of us have implemented a new tradition where we gather with our chosen family and make new memories that sweeten the holiday experience. Others of us are not yet out to our families and friends, maybe even experiencing these days of isolation with those who don't yet affirm the beauty and goodness of being LGBTQ+.
Holidays are already hard, especially for LGBTQ+ folks, and they're even more difficult in the midst of a global health crisis. Beyond the pain of not being able to freely gather with relatives, public health guidelines often preclude gathering with even our chosen family. This season can evince memories of broken relationships, childhood loss, and the grief of missed holidays gone by. For many, Thanksgiving and Christmas exacerbate mental health issues and surface feelings of loneliness or rejection. Questions of belonging can be heartbreaking when so much around us tells us to feel good cheer and the comforts of family hospitality.
Thanksgiving itself is fraught with historical gravity. The white-washing of what was ultimately a genocidal conquest is something with which non-Indeginous Americans still need to reckon and atone. May we work against the erasure and appropriation of Native cultures and avoid harmful characterizations of an “original” Thanksgiving that never happened.
As difficult as it is to say "happy Thanksgiving" in this moment, we genuinely wish for you to have a joyous and peaceful holiday. And despite these challenging times, we invite you to join us as we contemplate our gratitude and belovedness.
You, beloved child of God, matter. Your joy and your grief this holiday season matter. You may not feel gratitude or thankfulness, but know that we are grateful to and for you. And irrespective of where and with whom you spend today, we want you to know that you are absolutely not alone. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, as Scripture tells us, and we gladly count ourselves among them.
To all of our chosen Q Christian family, the team is so thankful for your participation in our mission and work, your very presence in our community, and above all, the image of the living God that you—as an LGBTQ+ Christian or ally—shine brightly in this world.
We love you. God loves you. And on this holiday, we prayerfully hope that you would find space to rest in the gift of being God's dearly beloved child.
In gratitude and grace,
The Team at Q Christian Fellowship
PS: If you find yourself in need of prayer, we encourage you to visit our Prayer Wall and submit a request. We receive these immediately and will post them to the virtual wall as soon as we are able.
