We are now both officially back in Boston. My deepest apologies for the delay on posting pictures and commentary on the final leg of our journey. I (Debbie) was in need of some serious sleep, and was rebelling against the call of the interweb, but am now back in action with a report of the last few days of our trip.
As Katie said, we left L.A. a bit early in order to make it to the Pride Eucharist on Sunday the 27th....
Once in San Francisco, we began Pride day on a side street, off of the main avenue of the parade, where dozens of parade participants were getting ready for their walk. There were feathers and balloons and glitter and colors and dancing. And, everyone had this incredible energy, which may have been due to all the glitter, but was probably due more to the incredible weather. I mean, come on! 75 and sunny in San Francisco? It was beautiful.
And, at the very end of the street there was this eclectic mix of people... some in feathers, some in leather, and some in monastic robes.... all standing around a little table.
This was the Pride Eucharist.
Grace Cathedral, the Episcopal church we interviewed earlier in our trip, is part of a coalition of churches and organizations who hold a eucharist service prior to the start of the parade every year in San Francisco. This year, it was led by the Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of San Francisco and a few others from participating communities.
And, together, we read the Gospel, and a speech by Harvey Milk, prayed, and celebrated at the communion table.
Last semester I took a class where the professor repeatedly said, "the politics of inclusion are always the politics of exclusion." I know it sounds strange, but this was what struck me most as I was at the Pride Eucharist. More specifically, I kept thinking about the way the political practices of exclusion/inclusion can be either embodied or transformed in our religious practices.
Here, there is a tension that I have a hard time naming, let alone resolving, and I'm not sure what to make of it... But, in relation our on-going discussion of communion, community, and hospitality, I think it's a tension that needs to be critically acknowledged in order for liturgical practices to remain life-giving or just in our larger communities. So we need to ask the questions: Who is at our table? Who isn't, and why? And, what the hell is the table anyway? (or, what and where are the boundaries of our 'conversations'?)
But even with the tensions, and the messiness, and the mourning, and the theological bullshit... there is a lot of joy. I asked one man (pictured above - Dan or David, I can't remember and am so sorry if you're reading this!!) why he participated in the Eucharist service on Pride day. And, to paraphrase him (poorly), he said that when he takes the Eucharist, he's reminded of the embodiedness of God, and that he can feel the goodness and divineness of God living in his body and in his bones.
As a seminary student, there are a million and one ways to deconstruct what he said. But looking at him, and seeing how joyful he was. (You could just see the happiness in his face.) And, well, that was the most meaningful for me... Joy.
Well, Joy and lots of glitter!
So Katie and I wandered around downtown San Francisco, enjoying the weather and beautiful people along with pretty much everyone else from the state of California. Seriously. So. many. people.
But then we met Ricky.
He was selling "Street Sheet", similar to the newspaper, "Spare Change" in Boston. Ricky showed us around a few blocks of the parade and kept us company, even after we got distracted for a little bit by the Christian protesters at the Pride Parade.
We expected them. I mean, we even sought them out. We wanted all sides of the celebration. Even the ones we might not agree with (to put it mildly). But when you see all the balloons, and smiles, and friendly faces... when you see the families, and hot dog venders, and sunburns... It's a little much to come across this....
Some people argued, some cursed, but most people took the protestors with a dose of humor. There were bubble guns, and some funny picture poses and a lot of great outfits to counter their stance.
Soon after, our new friend Ricky departed to catch the Backstreet Boys concert. (Yes. The Backstreet Boys). And Katie and I left to meet up with Matt, and his friends from the ranch, Renae, Mark, and Tash... And we went to experience the Pride Parade after party....
(Mark and Matt catch a garbage bin dance party)
(Can I say anything more?)We walked, we danced, we ate Mexican food, and enjoyed the day.... But eventually found our way across the bridge and back at the Ranch for the evening. And, like Katie mentioned, were back on the road the next day for Crescent City. We had an awesome ride to Crescent City and then to Seattle. We saw beaches, trees, some wonderful friends and finished up an amazing adventure.
Katie and I would like to thank you for following the first leg of an amazing journey. We are excited about what will come from this first adventure and hope that many of you will be able to join us as we find new places to go, new communities to meet, and new communions to be a part of. Who knows which way we will go....
LOVE!
Katie and Debbie
Stay tuned for videos, recordings, and more commentary on our adventure. To see a larger collection of photos from the trip go here.
