"Transgender Day of Visibility" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, March 29, 2026

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp)

Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek)

Centering

Prelude

"How Could Anyone?"

by Libby Roderick

Mary Bopp, piano

Chalice Lighting and Opening Words

"Blessing for Kin"

by Sean Parker Dennison

Opening Hymn

"I Will Change Your Name"

by D. J. Butler

I will change your name

You shall no longer be called

Wounded, outcast

Lonely or afraid.

I will change your name

Your new name shall be

Confidence, joyfulness

Overcoming one

Faithfulness, friend of God

One who seeks my face.

Time for All Ages

"Julian Is a Mermaid"

Story and Illustrations by Jessica Love

Musical Interlude

Joys and Concerns

Musical Meditation

Offering

The recipient of our community outreach offering is the CT Alliance to End

Sexual Violence. Their mission is to create communities free of sexual violence

and to provide culturally affirming, trauma-informed advocacy, prevention,

and intervention services centered on the voices of survivors.

Offering Music

"Singing For Our Lives"

by Holly Near, arr. by Mary Bopp

Sermon

"Holy and Divine: A Sermon of Honor of Transgender Day of Visibility"

Rev. Josh Pawelek

"Holy & Divine"

by Lindasusan Ulrich

Inspired by the words of Rev. JeKaren Bell & Dedicated to the trans/nonbinary community

Lean in, I love you.

Once again, I love you.

Now and always, I love you.

Your lives are holy and divine.

Closing Song

"How Could Anyone?"

by Libby Roderick

How could anyone ever tell you

you were anything less than beautiful?

How could anyone ever tell you

you were less than whole?

How could anyone fail to notice

that your loving is a miracle?

How deeply you're connected to my soul.

Extinguishing the Chalice

The flame in our hearts never ceases burning.

Closing Circle

May faith in the spirit of life

And hope for the community of earth

And love of the light in each other

Be ours now, and in all the days to come.

From Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders:

Each year on March 31, the world observes Transgender Day of Visibility

(TDOV) to raise awareness about transgender people. It is a day to celebrate

the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence the community

faces compared to cisgender (non-transgender) people. International TDOV

was created in 2010 by trans advocate Rachel Crandall. Crandall, the head of

Transgender Michigan, created TDOV in response to the overwhelming

majority of media stories about transgender people being focused on

violence. She hoped to create a day where people could celebrate the lives of

transgender people, while simultaneously acknowledging that due to

discrimination, not every trans person can or wants to be visible.