THE GLORY OF EASTER!

Christian greetings! At this writing it is Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007. I have just returned from the most deeply meaningful Easter Sunday worship of my life. Before sharing that, however, permit me to take a walk "down memory lane".

The year is 1963. On May 1, 1963 I moved out of my apartment in Oakland, California, left any and all male attire behind, and started living full-time under the identity of Paula; upon discovery of who I am. After a few days of staying in my friend Laura's apartment, we both relocated to San Francisco, renting our own individual apartments. Laura was also Trans, and we both started living, and working, under our female identities at the same time.

Soon I landed a secretarial position with an insurance company, and started attending Glad Tidings Assembly of God in San Francisco, where they only knew me as Paula. It wasn't long before I was asked to sing in the Choir. In the summer of 1963 a photographer took pictures for the Church directory, and I still have them -- my earliest photos as Paula.

Come Christmas, 1963, the Glad Tidings church choir presented a Christmas Cantata that concluded with Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus." I was very happy, receiving acceptance as Paula that I had never gotten before as Larry. My friend Laura came to the Cantata. Later that night, Laura said to me: "You are doing the things as Paula that you tried to do as Larry"!

Fast forwarding 44 years later. Today I am a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ (FCC) in Portland, Oregon. This Church is "Open & Affirming", welcoming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgenderd persons. Whereas 44 years before, I was accepted as Paula; nonetheless, in order to be accepted, I had to hide the fact of my prior identity of Larry. Today, at FCC I am fully accepted as Paula without the necessity of having to "hide" anything.

On Palm Sunday, April 1, 2008 - I started out Holy week by having breakfast with Dr. Thomas R. Wyatt, and his wife Sharon. Dr. Wyatt is the grandson of the late Dr. Thomas Wyatt who founded the Wings of Healing international ministries in the early 1940's.

After a delightful time of "breakfast at the Benson", I meandered up SW Broadway in downtown Portland, to the south Park blocks where a group from FCC were gathering, along with Cinnamon, a live donkey. The children were distributing palms, and taught us a chorus. Singing this chorus we processed to the Church.

On Maundy Thursday, April 5, I attended a solemn service at FCC, where Holy Week event scriptures were read, by candlelight, each candle being extinguished following the reading of each scripture passage, culminating in darkness. After the service, I said to my friend, The Rev. Paul Davis, a staff minister at FCC: "Tomorrow [taping day for a SISTER PAULA tv cable and audio podcast] I am going to preach an Easter sermon."

On Good Friday, April 6, I filmed a sermon entitled "AN OLD FASHIONED EASTER SERMON", soon to be aired. The entire structure of Christianity is built on the historical fact of Christ's resurrection. Immediately following the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, Christ's followers commenced preaching the truth of the resurrection. (Acts 2:22-24) The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us (Romans 8:11). This is the same Spirit that is Christ's gift to His Church (Acts 2:39) -- the same Spirit by which we do the same works that Jesus Himself did (John 14:12) -- the same Spirit that imparts one's knowledge of salvation (Romans 8:16, 17) -- the same Spirit who intercedes in and through Spirit baptized believers in a heavenly language (Romans 8:26, 27) -- and the same Spirit that will triumph over death when, at the last trumpet, we shall be raised incorruptible (I Cor. 15:51-55).

Oh yes -- the Apostle Paul puts in right on the line. "If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain...and we are found false witnesses of God" (I Cor. 15:14, 15). In this same passage, Paul also emphatically declares the glorious truth that "...now Christ IS risen from the dead...For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Cor. 15:20 - 22).

(My favorite Old Testament chapter is Psalm 91. My favorite New Testament chapter is I Corinthians 15).

Today, Easter Sunday at First Congregational United Church of Christ in downtown Portland, a beautiful Easter worship service culminated in the Choir singing Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus", with an open invitation for anyone to come to the platform and join in with the Choir. This magnificent choral arrangement was accompanied with the Church's historical pipe organ and a trumpet. While singing this familiar anthem with the Choir, the Shekinah Glory of God surrounded me, enveloping the entire congregation in triumphant resurrection power.

While feeling an upsurge of happiness and great joy, my memory flashed back to that Sunday evening of Christmas, 1963, when singing this same anthem with the Glad Tidings Assembly of God choir in San Francisco. In order to be accepted as Paula, I had to hide my previous identity as Larry. Today, 44 years later, Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007, I could stand there and sing this wonderful song of worship, as Paula, without the necessity of hiding anything. These wonderful people perceive me the same way God perceives me.

Total acceptance -- being the person God created me to be -- for me, this is THE GLORY OF EASTER! HALLELUJAH!!

Monday, April 9, 2007

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