In times like these.

Tell our Trans and our Non-Binary young people that they are loved more deeply than they can ever imagine or hope for, just as they are.

Help them to feel safe.

will tell you, even with Im Reverend Michael Burke.

I, serve as what's called the rector or senior pastor of the faith community at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church was actually a member of this congregation, when I was a college student, and it was something that the members of this congregation, especially elders, really encouraged me in I think it was a good fit.

Because to me, everything is about community.

At the time, I was working in, civil rights work with, people with disabilities and the disability pride community.

A job I hated to leave, but felt this was a pretty compelling calling as well.

A new way of being.

Community in the world.

And to start living that way today.

When when you begin and end with community, or, you know, to put it in churchy language, love God, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

We're all knit together.

You can't separate out the different parts.

so I think when we're when you're asking the question, how does a person become more involved in their community?

You know, for many folks that's a huge step to take.

And and you don't need to take it all in one big step.

You can approach it in lots of little steps.

you can take little incremental, graduations that lead up to, deeper involvement in your community.

It might be as simple as, you know, baking some cookies and going and meeting your next door neighbor who you really don't remember the name of.

The purpose of the churches is always outside the walls of its building.

I mean, when people ask me, where is the church?

Where isn't it?

It shows up on the streets every day where?

Wherever people want to have a genuine connection, a genuine conversation, wherever people meet one another's needs.

All of us are enriched by that.