From Worn to Wonderful: 3/30 Script

 

Service 3/30/25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iegx3nAy6Gs

Call to Worship

Today, we gather in celebration and affirmation of Transgender Day of Visibility, the counterpart and opposite to Transgender Day of Remembrance. Where one day calls us to mourn, this day calls us to rejoice, to honor the resilience, beauty, and truth of our transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse beloveds. This is a day to uplift the light that shines in each person who dares to live their truth, a day to proclaim that visibility is not just survival but a sacred act of selfhood. As part of this celebration, we introduce our naming ceremony, a ritual of recognition and belonging. It is my hope that this ritual becomes a tradition for Transgender Day of Visibility, not only for those actively transitioning but as an ongoing practice of honoring those who have long been part of us.

To name oneself is to claim one’s truth, to shape one’s story, to say, I know myself, and I trust that knowing. It is an act of courage and defiance, a refusal to let the world dictate the boundaries of our being. Our identities are sacred, and honoring them is an act of love, a recognition that each person is the expert of their own existence. This sacred act of naming is something I hold very dear, and it brings to mind The Velveteen Rabbit, a holy text for me in times like these. In the story, a stuffed rabbit becomes real not by conforming to an ideal, but through the love and acceptance it receives, which allows it to shed its artificial exterior and become who it was always meant to be. 

This self-trust is the foundation of authenticity, reminding us that no one else can define our truth. Just as important is the power of love and belonging. When we surround ourselves with those who see and celebrate us as we are, we learn that realness is not about fitting into expectations but about being embraced in our wholeness. For our transgender beloveds, stepping into this authenticity means honoring the wisdom of their own hearts, accepting the love that affirms their truth, and claiming the fullness of who they have always been. Let us hold this space as one of love, trust, and recognition. Let us celebrate the names, the lives, and the truths revealed here today. Come, let us worship together.

Sermon

When we access our deepest knowledge ourselves, we begin to distinguish our authentic voice from the noise of the world around us. It is in these moments of listening that we connect with the essence of who we are, free from judgment and free from outside influence. This trust in our inner voice empowers us to step forward and claim our truth, no longer allowing others to dictate the terms of our existence. To truly embody this trust, it is essential to ground ourselves in the present moment, allowing our bodies to serve as a compass for our inner knowing. 

Take a moment to close your eyes, breathe deeply, and feel the weight of your body on the earth beneath you. With each inhale, allow yourself to access your innermost sense of what is real, what is true, and what is unspoken within you. Feel how your body responds. What does it yearn for? What does it resist? As you listen to these subtle sensations, you begin to hear the quiet whispers of your authentic self. This embodied practice of deep listening grounds us in the present and affirms that our truth lies within, accessible when we take the time to listen and trust.

In The Velveteen Rabbit, the rabbit's journey toward becoming real begins when the old skinhorse helps him access his own voice. The horse, this simple, worn, beloved toy, is a mirror for the rabbit’s inner knowing, encouraging him to embrace his own self assurance of his realness. By real, I mean the personal and collective experience of autonomy. Being real is not just about having a body or being seen by others. It is about knowing who we are, speaking our truth, and allowing ourselves to be known. For people who have been told they need to change to be accepted, being real is an act of courage. It means knowing that we are not just what people see on the outside, but whole and worthy just as we are. 

Realness is shaped in relationship, in the spaces where we are seen and affirmed. When we create communities that honor each person’s truth, we help one another become more fully ourselves. In the same way, we are called to listen to the quiet, persistent voice within ourselves; one that may be muted by the expectations of others but is always there, waiting to be heard. In embracing this voice, we begin to affirm our uniqueness and our right to be seen for who we truly are. The transformation of the Velveteen Rabbit highlights the importance of vulnerability in this process of becoming real. The rabbit’s journey is not immediate; it requires becoming worn, tattered, and imperfect.

And, as we embark on our own journeys toward authenticity, it is important to remember that we are not alone. Take a moment now to connect with the community that surrounds you. Whether physical or virtual, this community holds space for you to be seen. Close your eyes for a moment and breathe deeply, feeling the support of those around you. Let the love and recognition of the people who care about you settle into your body, affirming your right to step into your truth. In these spaces, we are held in ways that make it easier to trust ourselves. Just as the rabbit was embraced by the child, we too find strength in knowing that we are supported by others who see and celebrate us for who we truly are.

The rabbit longs to be real but is met with rejection from the other toys, who mock it for being soft and simple. It is only through the wisdom of the Skin Horse that the rabbit begins to understand that being real is not about appearance but about being truly loved. Even then, the rabbit doubts its worth, unsure if it will ever be anything more than just a toy. In the same way, our journey toward becoming authentic requires the recognition of others who see us as we are. For transgender individuals, having a community that affirms one's identity is crucial. Just as the rabbit cannot become real without the child’s love, we too need communities that create space for self-expression and honor the sacredness of each individual’s identity. In these communities, authenticity is not only allowed but celebrated, and through this support, we grow in our visibility and self-acceptance.

Becoming real is not easy. The rabbit does not just wake up one day and find itself transformed. It gets there by being held, dragged through the dirt, loved so hard that its fur wears thin and its seams loosen. The world does that to us too. We get worn down, carrying both beautiful and terrible scars, proof that we have lived, that we have been seen, that we have been loved. And that kind of transformation, of becoming real, of transitioning, of stepping into who we truly are, is terrifying. It asks us to trust, to let ourselves be known, even when the world tells us to stay hidden. But just like the rabbit, we find that on the other side of that fear is something deeper than we ever imagined. We become real, not because the world is kind, but because we choose to live openly, to love fiercely, and to trust that we are worthy of being seen.

In The Velveteen Rabbit, the rabbit’s transformation into a "real" being is deeply rooted in love and acceptance. The Rabbit is not In the same way, individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities, including transgender people, must make our own realness in order thrive and transform. The Rabbit's journey highlights the essential role of community in our personal transformation; it is through the embrace of others that we are able to find our true selves. Without this support, we risk remaining trapped in a state of invisibility, never able to fully express who we are.

The rabbit’s transformation does not happen all at once. At first, it only understands love as something external, something that must be bestowed upon it. But through time, experience, and trust, it comes to know that love is not about becoming something new, it is about revealing what was always true beneath the surface. The same is true for our transgender beloveds, who are not changing into someone else but stepping more fully into the truth of a person we have known, and denied, our whole lives. Living without apology means embracing this truth without waiting for permission. It means understanding that realness is not measured by how well the world accepts us but by how deeply we trust ourselves. When we shed the need for external validation, we begin to embody the fullness of who we are. And just as the rabbit finds its realness through love and recognition, so too do we find our truest selves when we embrace our authenticity without fear.

For those who love and support transgender individuals, this journey is also a call to action. Just as the rabbit’s transformation is made possible through love and care, so too must we create communities where realness is nurtured and affirmed. Being an ally cannot be a passive role; it requires showing up, speaking out, and making space for others to live without fear. It means offering support not only in moments of celebration but also in times of struggle, when the world’s resistance can feel overwhelming. Allies can be the ones who remind their transgender loved ones that they are already whole, already real, even when the world tries to deny it. This work is not always easy, but it is necessary. In standing beside our transgender siblings, we help build a world where no one has to fight for the right to be seen.

Now, I invite you to take a deep breath and feel the fullness of who you have always been. Set aside the expectations, the doubts, the fears that have been placed upon you. Imagine, for just a moment, that nothing stands between you and your truest self, not the past, not the future, not the voices of those who have tried to define you. You are here. You are whole. You have always been real. As we move forward in this sacred space, we prepare to lift up the names of those who have claimed and reclaimed themselves. This is a moment of recognition, a moment to witness and honor those who have stepped into their truth.

The rabbit, in the end, does not need to prove its realness. It simply is. So too are we already whole, already worthy, already enough. As we honor the names spoken here today, let us also commit to building a world where authenticity is not a risk but a birthright. Let us create spaces where love does not demand perfection but celebrates truth. May we all continue to step into our own realness, knowing that we are seen, held, and loved exactly as we are.

Naming Ceremony:

“You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” – The Velveteen Rabbit

In our tradition, names hold power; they are not just labels, but sacred utterances that declare who we are, who we’ve always been. In this space, we are called to honor the autonomy of each individual, to affirm that their name is theirs alone, and that it holds the essence of their being. Our beloved transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse members stand before us today, offering their names as an act of courage and authenticity. With each name spoken today, we witness a transformation, a claiming of identity, and a reclamation of wholeness. These names are not just words, they are the deep truth of who they are, deserving of our respect, our celebration, and our love.

As we stand together in community, we hold the power to affirm these names and to surround our beloveds with a circle of care and support. When we say these names aloud, we are saying, “We see you. We hold you. You are real and sacred, exactly as you are.” This is the work of love, and it is not to be taken lightly. It is a holy act to be present with someone as they claim their truth, and it is our responsibility as a congregation to hold these names with reverence, to lift them up, and to affirm that the journey of becoming is not only theirs to walk but ours to walk alongside. In this moment, we do not just hear names, we honor the lives, the struggles, the victories, and the beauty that each name carries. We are called to witness their authenticity and celebrate their wholeness as a community of care.

Now, as we move through this sacred moment together, I will call upon each of you to share your name,  which I will repeat, and then we will affirm it aloud, holding it with love and reverence.