(The following was shared at an Out Front rally for equal marriage rights in the capitol rotunda in St Paul)

My oldest daughter Leah is 25.

She is passionate about working to create a world where hope is the first language of all.

I talked with her a month back about why she is resistant to having anything to do with church.

She rattled off to me some of the verbiage she has heard spoken in the name of the church. The words made me wince. Because what she rattled off were small and gnarled and hate-laced proclamations that seek to draw the circle of grace small.

I challenged her: she for sure hadn’t heard those things preached in the church where she worshipped growing up.

She waffled a bit and then she got to it. She spoke a question long on her heart. She said this: “When is the church going to step up?! When is the church going to speak out for justice? How is it that a church built upon the teachings of a man who was relentless about enfolding all into God’s vision of justice, how is it that Christians of all people are so silent and so unwilling to claim power and voice? When is the church going to step up for justice, Mom?”

Well, Leah, we are stepping up and speaking out.

The people of Jesus are joining our voice and power with people of all faiths to say that discriminating against any of God’s children based on who they love in a culture gone mad with hate – that is just plain crazy-making.

We DO believe in love, justice and equality in Minnesota and throughout God’s creation.

Love is sacred gift. Living that love fully in families with two moms or living that love in the marriage of two men or living that love in a family with a man and a woman is living sacred gift and the world is withering for want of lived love so why on earth would people of faith be silent while across this nation legislatures are perpetrating injustice through denying equal rights for same-gender loving people?

We will NOT be silent. We WILL speak for love and justice. And I say this to Leah and to all people who have longed for the church to reclaim its prophetic voice:

We are stepping up.