Christianity absolutely requires you to welcome immigrants. No exceptions. No “if they follow the law.” No “if they contribute economically.” No exceptions. Welcome them. Treat them as a citizen. Love them.

The forces of evil want you to feel alone and afraid. The ones who are cutting aid and deporting immigrants and making trans care illegal want you to feel powerless. But we are not alone, and we do not need to be afraid. We have each other, and a God whose name is With Us.

The kiddo was very excited about the plush Spidey I got him for Hannukah. After every Shabbes Hannukah blessing, kiddo’s head popped up over the sofa to say “Amen” in his biggest voice, then Spidey’s head popped up to say “Amen” in a little voice.

jalexanderallen.substack.com/p/the-candle... “The Love candle, as with the candles of Hope, Peace, and Joy, is a shared light. It is shared between G/d and creation and it is shared between trans people and our allies. Love is the flame of self-acceptance”

Cute moment at church this week: nonbinary trans femme is telling a story, and as an aside explains to a visitor: “oh I used to look like you.” Visitor, a nonbinary transman, laughs and says “and I used to look like you!” #transjoy

Driving with kiddo when. Little voice says: Lura? When I’m not with Mama and Daddy, I can watch [name of forbidden show.] Me: Is that so? Yeah. We can watch it on your phone. Me: interesting. I love it when they try to deceive but don’t yet have a theory of mind. We did not watch the show.

BREAKING: Judge Paula Xinis orders the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody

Among the confusing cacophony of sensations in my brain when I woke up today was a tactile obsession with my new stole, with a soundtrack of “Don’t fuck a facist” by Chrissa Sparkles.

Hey ELCA: when a Queer or Trans person, or BIPOC give you another chance, that’s grace for you. You should be dancing in the streets, and listening to every word of wisdom that drops from their mouths. Paving the way for them. Not putting up more barriers.

There are no words for the tenderness I feel preparing Christmas services for a congregation I love.

Inside of me there are two wolves. One values sustainability and wants to slowly replace my clothes with quality pieces from natural fibers. The other is chronically ill and wants every piece of soft fuzzy polyester fleece I see. Unfortunately both wolves have access to my credit card.

God does not play dice with the universe, ever since he caught the universe cheating that one time. Can’t play dice with a cheater.

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*inhales*BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

God loves you, you ridiculous drunk trash panda you.

I have a joke about Moses coming down the mountain, but you won’t be able to face it.

For my congregation, we’re working on a simple list of do’s and don’ts for welcoming visitors. What would you want to see on it?

Who do I know that went to Eastern Mennonite University, or Wake Forest? Or anyone else who has done a dual counseling/divinity degree?

Dear younger women: the reason they say “crazy cat lady” in that tone of voice is because they’re afraid you’ll notice that some of the happiest people in the world are middle aged women living alone with their pets.

So I’m very committed to critiquing elected officials, and cringe at cults of personality and all that leftist jazz— but is Zohran, like, a sorcerer?

American “Christianity” is so terrified of pleasure.

Somewhere across the world happy, peaceful re-wilded elephants are taking their newborn to meet the humans that rescued them. And closer to home, a beautiful human is noticing the perfection of fall leaves and showing them to us.

I don’t want to formulate words yet, but my friend Alice Wong, @sfdirewolf.bsky.social of the Disability Visibility Project, has passed. Here are the words she left behind: www.instagram.com/p/DREMDNBjnq...

Good statement from the US conference of Catholic Bishops

Short version: Trump: I'm dismantling the Constitution, building a paramilitary fascist army loyal only to me, blowing up the US economy for my billionaire cronies, and destroying the planet. Schumer: Okay, but you have to extend subsidies for corporate health care Trump: No Schumer: Okay

Give me a God who respects our bodies, or give me no God at all. Give me a God who shares my anger at our violations, or give me no God at all. Give me a God who knows the secret shame we carry, or give me no God at all.

Someone is sending emails impersonating me again. I’m not looking for gift cards or money or anything like that. Please double check to make sure any email that looks like me actually is.

A great thing about having a young kiddo in my life is that I get to introduce important vocabulary like “booger butt.”

The Memes have begun

truly the worst dick any of us have ever gotten

Oh Dick. You’re surprised by Love right now, aren’t you? I imagine that is a bit of a shock.

Walmart, McDonalds and Amazon are the largest employers of people who require SNAP assistance. The CEOs earned between 18-40 million last year, 1000x their median employee income. They took billions in profits, while their workers relied on SNAP to survive. Wanna fix fraud and abuse? Fix that.

"Then I despair. . . . I remember that all through history, the way of truth and love has always won. There have been murderers and tyrants, and for a time they can seem invincible. But in the end they always fall. Think of it always." Andre Malraux, born on this day in 1901

People are hungry in the US because of human policies. Not because we don’t have enough food, or because we don’t know how to distribute it. But because our greed and hatred made us vote to limit food for some people. Speaking Biblically, this is the kind of thing God damns countries for.

Can we talk about how many members of the military, TSA agents, other federal workers, and so many others are just one paycheck away from hunger?

I love it when people insult me using language that I wholeheartedly claim. The latest one is trying to slam me for saying God loves everyone. “Pastor Lura Groen, an admitted universalist…” Ok, you got me. 🤷‍♀️

“Though hordes of devils fill the land all threatening to devour us, We tremble not unmoved we stand; they cannot overpower us.” Reformation Sunday hit differently this year.

White men...the story you were taught about yourselves was never true. It promised power, but stole your humanity. It gave you control, but robbed you of connection. It’s time to unlearn the lies.

Give money to food banks. Or even better- directly to people in need. It’s always the most efficient way to help.

Game: name a skill/talent/special interest you have that no one has ever asked you to use in church. The rest of us will try to brainstorm a way it could be useful in church. As silly or serious as you’d like. I’ll start: I can care for and milk goats.

You know how there are humans so splendid that knowing them makes you want to sing psalms to God for creating such a person as this? You’re one of them. The angels sign praises to God because of you.

Only for the dog-obsessed, or at least those not repulsed by the messy realities of living with dogs: Clara tries to slip her tongue in my mouth, and almost never succeeds. But tonight she did and I accidentally bit it AND THAT WAS A SURPRISE NEITHER ONE OF US LIKED

Federal worker friends, how are you holding up? Thinking of yall.

Really insightful political analysis of gender performance among maga women jessicadefino.substack.com/p/erika-kirk...

‪‪I don't know how I feel about #NationalComingOutDay. But I know my Queerness is in the Image of God. I know that the more I dwell in God, the more Queer I feel. And fiercer, and more vulnerable, and more loving, angrier, and less suited to this world yet more in it.

We regret to inform you that the Nobel Peace Prize is antifa.

It’s been way too long since you’ve had a new God Crush episode, and sorry, you have to keep waiting. Instead you get unedited Lura and Ari talking about tradcath furries and elephant healing. (Yes, this is what we sound like when we are just hanging out.) open.spotify.com/episode/6dXy...

‪God is furiously dancing into #SCOTUS in Their boa, bustier, combat boots, and booty shorts. ‬ ‪I don’t know how many of the justices will be able to see Them. But you and I, dear Queerbies, can. ‬

I just innocently said “six inches of grace” in a roomful of Queer clergy. I bet you can guess how that went.