# Morning Prayers: Queer Divine Week November 20, 2024 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) ![adobestock_824216964_0.jpeg](/sites/g/files/omnuum7126/files/thememorialchurch/files/adobestock_824216964_0.jpeg) ### **Theologies, Perspectives, and Stories:** The Memorial Church for a week of Morning Prayers services explores LGBTQ+-affirming theologies, concepts of the divine, and stories of queer folks of faith from around campus. ### **Meagan von Rohr** Director, Office of LGBTQ Student Life, Harvard College *"We find heaven in each other through connection. We love each other. We work together to do the right thing. We are someone's angel of the get-through. As you hear from our other amazing speakers during Divine week, I hope you are as moved as I am to being community with such amazing folk."* –– ### **Alexa Albanese** Administrative Assistant to the Director, Office for the Arts at Harvard Embed [Harvard Memorial Church](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church "Harvard Memorial Church") · [Alexa Albanese - Nov. 19, 2024 | Morning Prayers](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church/alexa-albanese-nov-19-2024-morning-prayers "Alexa Albanese - Nov. 19, 2024 | Morning Prayers") *"But the thing about comedy, it can teach you the best and worst of human nature. We have held up a mirror to America's darkest prejudices and told anyone portrayed as the object of derision that they just don't have a sense of humor. I am so sorry that the art form I love most has made mockeries of my community's existence."* *––* ### **The Rev. Carrie Ballenger** Pastor, University Lutheran Church, Harvard Square Embed [Harvard Memorial Church](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church "Harvard Memorial Church") · [The Rev. Carrie Ballenger - Nov. 20, 2024 | Morning Prayers](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church/the-rev-carrie-ballenger-nov-20-2024-morning-prayers "The Rev. Carrie Ballenger - Nov. 20, 2024 | Morning Prayers") *"As a clergy person and even as a queer clergy person, I must acknowledge on this day the harm that is done when religious folk only speak about God's presence in queer lives and in trans lives in terms of how we were born or where we're going to go when we die. If we ever talk about the middle, it's about bathrooms, which is nobody's business. That's a messy middle. That is nobody's business. "* *––* ### **Cassandra Montenegro MDiv '23** Senior Tutor, Cabot House Embed [Harvard Memorial Church](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church "Harvard Memorial Church") · [Cassandra Montenegro MDiv '23 - Nov. 21, 2024 | Morning Prayers](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church/cassandra-montenegro-mdiv-23-nov-21-2024-morning-prayers "Cassandra Montenegro MDiv '23 - Nov. 21, 2024 | Morning Prayers") *"I say my body came out before I did. And those quiet moments with scripture, and scripture imagined and tattooed through an artist's hand on my back, was not as quiet as I thought. It was wanting to reach out and create community, to create connection and to be seen."* *––* ### **Matta Zheng, MDiv III** Queer Spiritual Advisor, Office of LGBQT Student Life Embed [Harvard Memorial Church](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church "Harvard Memorial Church") · [Matta Zheng MDiv III - Nov. 22, 2024 | Morning Prayers](https://soundcloud.com/memorial-church/matta-zheng-mdiv-iii-nov-22-2024-morning-prayers "Matta Zheng MDiv III - Nov. 22, 2024 | Morning Prayers") *"The point is that these things, like queerness and Buddhism, when they are fully realized, have already transcended themselves. When they are fully manifested, they are gone. In your own life, have you ever noticed how impossible it is to change anything of significance about yourself until you have fully, completely, and unquestioningly accepted yourself already as you are, devastating flaws and all? From where I stand, I think the bigger picture works just the same."* *––* See also:- [ Morning Prayers ](/archive/morning-prayers) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)