Thread by @emilycheath

This morning I preached on the #lectionary passage from Acts, which tells the story of the healing of Tabitha, who is also known as Dorcas. I wrote the sermon in the shadow of the overturning of #Roe. A 🧵 #prochoice

Tabitha was one of few women called a disciple in the Bible. She was noted as someone who did many good works. She fell sick & died. The “widows”, other women who were her friends, surrounded her in death and grieved. Then, knowing she followed Jesus, they called Peter. 2/?

It was the very early days of the church, and Peter was the de facto leader. So he was, for all intents and purposes, charged with responding on behalf of the church. He came to the room where Tabitha lay dead. 3/?

This Scripture is probably in the lectionary for the miracle that happened next. He said to her, “Tabitha, get up”. And she did, and those who her alive again are said to have believed because of it. 4/?

I think there’s another miracle here. I thinks it’s that when women were in profound pain, they called on the church to respond. And the church did. And the church was not scared of the women’s grief and pain, but walked into that room and somehow managed to bring healing. 5/?

Too often the church has failed to respond to the pain of so many, and particularly to women. Instead of crossing the threshold into rooms where there is pain, we’ve outside stayed in the comfort of privilege and polite silence. 6/?

On this Mother’s Day it is tempting for preachers to do the same. But I’ve spent most of this week in rooms full of weeping. People of all genders were in those rooms, but I especially sat with women in pain. 7/?

They told me about their abortions. Some before Roe. Some in back alleys. They told me about their fears for a new generation. And those new generations told me about their fears too. Both around abortion being outlawed and around 8/?

What is likely coming next, like banning of birth control and attacks on equal marriage and trans rights. As a pastor, you can’t enter into those rooms full of weeping on a weekday and then ignore them on a Sunday. 9/?

So we talked about abortion today. And we talked about how many Christian denominations, including our own, are pro-choice. We talked about how the church needs to dare to cross into the places of pain and speak the words of support needed. 10/?

Mostly, though, we need to do what the early church managed to do for Tabitha and her friends. We need bring healing and new life. We need to stand with those whose rights are under attack. And we need to stop doing harm, including by our silence. 11/?

I hear the weeping of those who are grieving this week. I can’t ignore it. No Christian can. And I’ll stand with all of those who are scared this week, and always. 12/12 #prochoice #plannedparenthood #roe