A blessing ceremony for LGBTQA youth ministry leaders Katya Mazon and Cesar Robles took place Aug. 25 at Wesley United Methodist Church (UMC) in Cicero's weekly worship service.
Wesley UMC Pastor Reverend Cathryn Caliendo led the worship service and blessing ceremony.
During the service Mazon did both the scripture and gospel readings. (Robles was unable to attend.) Congregants clipped their offerings to the giving tree in the church; all of the money collected will be used exclusively for the LGBTQA Youth Ministry program.
Following the intercessory prayers and the Lord's Prayer, Caliendo called on congregants to come forward and lay their hands on Mazon as a prayer was said in recognition of Mazon and Robles' work as LGBTQA youth leaders. The prayer called on Mazon and Robles to give themselves to God's service and think of others first as well as guide them in their work and reward their faithfulness.
"Since the Spirituality and Spaghetti event in June, Cesar and I have been planning the future of the ministry. Our goal now is to get other youths to register for our upcoming retreat in September," said Mazon. "I'm really excited about the retreat because it's not going to be about promoting religion. Pastor Cathy said that she plans on stepping back [during the retreat] and letting us lead the retreat. As for today's blessing service, it was really nice and everyone is so welcoming. That was a surprise for me because many of the parishioners are older and I wouldn't have expected them to be so open to the idea of an LGBTQA Youth Ministry group."
Speaking about the LGBTQA Youth Ministry group, Caliendo noted that her goal is to help youth leaders learn skills that will enable them to become marketable as they embark on their careers in a safe and welcoming environment.
"They on the other hand can help us learn to be more open and affirming. For example, they taught me that it's OK to ask people their preferred gender pronoun which is a phrase I'd never heard before," said Caliendo. "We are doing this ministry because we feel a calling to change the world and the church by opening our hearts and minds to people who aren't necessarily exactly like us."
Alicia Vega, Wesley UMC youth ministry coordinator spoke about the upcoming camping retreat for LGBTQA youth ages 16-21. The retreat is open to youth who live in or near Cicero and will take place Sept. 6-7 in Dixon, Ill. All food, lodging and travel arrangements will be covered.
"The retreat is going to be a chance for youth leaders to come together and share their experiences and ideas in a fun and interactive environment. There will also be adult allies in attendance supporting the process, " said Vega. "Join other LGBTQA youth who want to stand up to mistreatment from religious institutions and discuss spirituality."
To register for the retreat, contact Vega at engageyouth@hotmail.com or 773-426-2406.
