On March 31, 2024, many Christians will celebrate both Easter and Transgender Day of Visibility. Both days are equally important to many of us, especially in a year when so many laws are being targeting the rights of transgender people and when bullying is becoming the norm in schools across the nation. If you worship in an affirming church, here are a few verses you can add to your favorite Easter hymns or some litanies you can use in your congregations. Credit for all writing goes to Chris Pepple, but these may be used without requesting permission.

Palm Sunday Litany

“Hosanna, loud hosanna!”

all the people called

as they stood together in joy

welcoming their friend, their teacher,

their Shepherd, their Way.

We were the ones who called

out to be saved

before we turned on others

and asked for their arrest.

We were the ones waving palms

before we began to wave fists

at any we deemed unworthy

of entering our places of worship.

Save us from our paths

that have led us away from

the words of welcome,

the words that cheered

the one who taught us to love.

Save us from our laws

that lead us to shout

“Segregate and crucify the ones

we consider different!”

Save us from our own

unwillingness to remember

the community Jesus built

when he looked past the mores

of the religion of his day and

instead looked into the eyes

of the people who had forgotten

they were loved.

Let us once again stand together

in this nation and in this world

and call out in celebration

as we embrace the love

that came into our midst

so long ago…

to embrace the person who taught love

and offered hope and spread joy

and flipped tables and fed the people

and healed the hurting.

Let us stop the cries to crucify

and the cries to divide.

Let us stop the fear of otherness

and see that we are

better together.

Let us learn from history

and see that our story

can end with beauty

and hope and love

leading the way.

And the children sang

their praises and said,

“Let hope come today!

Hosanna to the One

who taught us that

loves leads the way!”

***

Easter Litany

When Jesus rises

God also calls our names

and boldly proclaims

“Rise up!”

Rise above the lies

that try to strip you of

your dignity…

Rise above the hate

that tries to bind you to

their splintered crosses…

Rise above the fear

that tries to toss you

in their graves…

You are an Easter people

loved beyond understanding,

offered hope beyond worldly limits,

given community to build tables

for all to join…shared tables

that join us in conversations

that unite rather than divide,

that bring understanding

rather than a litany of someone’s

self-defined transgressions,

that bring healing to the brokenness

and love to the hurting

and peace to all in the land…

May we remember to echo

the Easter words of hope,

“Rise up! You are seen!

You are loved! You are worthy!

You belong!”

**

Rise Up

Rise up, rise up!

Because Jesus is risen,

you, too can, rise up!

Because Jesus loved,

we can love,

because Jesus overcame

the fear, the hatred

and the lies

that entombed him,

because he rose

from the dark room

they banished him to,

we, too, can overcome and rise up.

Rise up, rise up!

Because Jesus is risen,

you, too can, rise up!

Jesus rolled away the stone

meant to forever keep him

from the people he loved,

from the community of believers,

and he has given us his Spirit

to roll away all barriers

that divide us and try to keep us

from God’s people and God’s table.

Rise up, rise up!

Because Jesus is risen,

you, too can, rise up!

Rise up! Rise from the grief and sorrow

of the events meant to destroy us.

Rise up! Rise from the barriers meant

to separate us from the glory of Easter morning!

Rise up! Hear the community of believers

call your name as they run

to the garden to find you!

Rise up! This victory is yours to embrace!

Rise up! You are loved, you are worthy, and

you have a seat at the table Easter morning

and forevermore.

Amen.

**

Love Lives

I love so many people I meet along my way

I know that hope is living, whatever foes may say.

I see the hands of mercy, I see new hope again,

and just when all seems lost in life, I see love win.

Love lives, love lives, love lives today!

Hope walks with us and carries us along life’s broken way.

Love lives, love lives, equality is near!

You ask me how I know love lives—I see it in us here!

**

( for Christ the Lord is Risen Today)

All our hope is rising today

Al-le-lu-ia

Reconciling voices all can say

Al-le-lu-ia

Transgender people, we do see

Al-le-lu-ia

Standing together with love for thee

Al-le-lu-ia

***

(for Easter people, raise your voices)

Easter people, raise your voices

words of love worldwide should ring

God has shown us loving choices

reconciling words, let us sing

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Transgender ones, I hear your name!

**

(for The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done)

Strife is still with us, the battle isn’t done

Equality for all isn’t yet won

But the work of hope has surely begun…

The hands of bullies have done their worst

put the power of love has dispersed,

let shouts of hope and peace outburst

**

Transgender Day of Visibilty

Today let’s all rise up and
celebrate visibility for the ones braver than those
who deny you,
stronger than the ones
who want you to hide,
more loving than the ones who
seek their own self-interests…
I see you
I love you
I stand with you
I march for you and with you
because you are undeniably real,
you are co-creators of hope
and designers of joy
and light bearers in this world
as you carve the path for your
own belonging through the rock walls designed to deny you your rights,
but you go forward
with strength and with love
and I see you.

—Chris Pepple @2022

**

To be read by a transgender person or a group of transgender people:

This We Say

Yesterday, today, tomorrow…

we have been among you

we are with you now

we will always walk this Earth…

we are the engineers and architects

helping to build your world,

the artists adding beauty…

the teachers leading a new generation…

the visionaries creating

what tomorrow will need…

we are beloved children

thankful for all fighting for change…

we are the strong ones

finding a way forward through pain…

we are the financial wizards on Wall Street

and leading performers lighting up the screen…

we excel in our field,

earn our way into the boardroom

and medicine and law,

dance every Pride,

write our stories,

compose new operas

and the latest rap hit

and know how to rock the night away…

we design the latest fashions

and love

and cry

and experience joy

and feel the sting of your words

and love anyway…

This we say…

we are transgender

and we are here to stay…

—Chris Pepple ©2023