Every second Sunday of the month, Dreams and Visions gathers for worship.
Why have spirituality and the body been so separate through the ages? And what does it look like to bring them back into communion?
At February's service, we’ll explore what it means to have a body, and how our sexuality, gender identity connect to our lives of faith. Though we may have been taught that our bodies are sources of shame or our desire pushes us farther from God, the Bible is filled with stories and poetry that say differently.
What does it look like to lay down shame, love our God-created bodies and embrace our God-given desires?
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With:
Charles Xavier Kilborn, offering a reflection
A motivational speaker, content creator, community healer, spoken word poet, and advocate for the gender creative community, based out of Baltimore, Md. CX uses his identity as a Black man of trans experience, recovering alcoholic, and suicide survivor, to create teachable moments from vulnerable exchanges in the hopes of creating more safe and inclusive community spaces.
Emily Scott preaching
The pastor of Dreams and Visions, Emily is creating a new spiritual community (with your help!) that is brimming with life, questions, and hope for a more just world. An ordained Lutheran pastor (ELCA), Emily is committed to building communities of faith that dismantle fear and hate, affirm LGBTQ people, and confront racial injustice.
O'so Devine (Devine Bey), singing
Devine graced Dreams and Visions with her presence at our Queer Christmas Pageant, playing Mary! She return to our Body and Soul service to offer a solo.
And music led by our beloved Novoa Champion and April Love.
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3:30pm + Doors Open for Snacks and Set Up
4pm + Gathering begins
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At this gathering we will:
-Pray, sit and breathe
-Sing with Novoa and April, our musicians
-Hear the story of the woman who anoints Jesus with oil
-Hear a reflection from Charles Xavier Kilborn about the sacredness of his body
-Hear a sermon by Emily unpacking the difference between holiness and purity.
-hear a solo by Devine, who played Mary at our Christmas Pageant
-reflect on the messages we've received about our bodies and our spirituality
-gather around the table for communion
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Finding Dreams and Visions!
When you arrive at 3400 Norman Ave, look for the BIG RED DOORS and enter there! We will have a sandwich board out to help guide you. The entrance is close to Lake Avenue.
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Transportation and Parking!
If you're driving, there is plenty of street parking in the area. The 22 and 54 bus will bring you within a short walk of the gathering space.
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Readings!
If you'd like to read a book on this subject, we recommend, "Shameless" by Nadia Bolz Webber, "Enfleshing Freedom: Body, Race, and Being (Intersections in African American Theology)" by M. Shawn Copeland, "Transforming," by Austen Hartke, and the talk, "Grace Embodied: On the Holy and the Erotic" by the Rev. Dr. Emilie Townes.
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Kids!
Kids are key and their participation and presence is desired!
The hall where we'll gather has lots of room for kids to roam. There will be an area for babies and another one for bigger kids, right in the worship space.
There will be an art project for them to work on, and plenty of sights and sounds to captivate them.
Feel free to move around the space or come and go as needed, as well as dispense snacks and bottles!
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Accessibility!
There will be chairs available during every part of the worship service. You are also welcome to stand or move around the space. There is a parking space and entrance for anyone who has limited mobility or cannot navigate stairs. Please email emily@dreamsandvisionsbaltimore to get all the details.
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Trans Welcome!
Everyone is invited to wear a name tag with their name and pronouns. There is a single stall, all gender restroom just down the hall from our worship space.