Refuge Refused

I'm not sure why we treat you like this...

when I came to your country
you gave me early mornings
and long warm days
boat rides across the lake
colour woven into braids
a warm welcome, a request to stay
[REFUTED]

I tried to speak to you,
managed a song or two
always the gringa...
I guess that's just how this story goes
[UNDISPUTED]

you haven't even finished your story
[MUTED]
and now that you've made it here
I really must ask you to leave.

there's no time to re-imagine
we are tied to the system.
[REFUGE REFUSED...
UNDISPUTED]

common prayer

God of Love

We recognize that daily, injustice stains our actions.

We lament our dogmatic, democratic chains-

And where they’ve caused us to let go of love.

We confess our dehumanizing view of “the other”,

Our attachments to religious certitude,

Our careless destruction of the earth.

We confess that we are masters at the art of exclusion.

Oh God of love,

Let us rise above the stench of death-

For we are alive.

God of Love

We recognize that you offer deep healing for this land.

We realize, we open our eyes-

To your blatantly beautiful story of change.

A story in which equality relocates both the weak and the strong,

In which a perfect love has adopted us all,

In which we root our life in creation’s rhythms.

We see that your path is one of profound inclusion.

Oh God of love,

Let us be swept up into this story-

For it is your catching force of life.

God of Love

We recognize that our complacency is no longer enough.

We commit to justice beyond a cause-

And desire to justly live.

We long to generously share, laying down unequal privilege,

To create spacious grace within our faith,

To seek restoration for this one gift of earth.

We long to heed your inclusive call.

Oh God of love,

Let us be drawn together, coloured by our communion -

For we long to proclaim your Kingdom.