The Veil is Torn - album fundraiser

The Veil is Torn

“The Veil is Torn” is a queer Christian album I am writing as a way of affirming LGBTQ+ people in the church, where we have so often been judged, silenced, erased, gaslit, spoken against, treated as enemies or others, and harmed physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. The title references when the veil between the Holy of Holies and the rest of the temple was torn at Jesus’ death, signifying that there is no longer a boundary between God and us. I think of these songs as anti-clobber passages, in that there are six passages in the Bible that have been used to “prove” that being queer is wrong (even though scholars debate the translation and the word “homosexual” wasn’t even in the Bible until 1946) and I’m writing seven songs based on scriptures that indicate to me that God loves and welcomes everyone. These numbers are significant too because six is a Biblical number of evil or failure and seven is the number of perfection or completion, which signifies to me that each of us are perfect and complete as God made us. It is my hope that these songs will help heal and encourage queer Christians in our faith, reclaiming words that have been used to tear us down as building blocks for a better church. And I hope that those who do not identify as queer and/or Christian will find this to be challenging, healing, inspiring, or thought-provoking. The music in this album is a blend of folk, gospel, and contemporary Christian music (CCM) and I’m raising funds to help pay for the recording studio, performing/recording artists, the fabulous graphic design by Adam Gurczak, and any other marketing/platform expenses involved in creating the album. I’m also planning to have an album release performance on June 23rd at St. Paul’s in Natick, MA and on June 30th in Grand Rapids, MI (exact location TBA). The songs are as follows:

1. You are the Letter (based on 2 Cor. 3:1-6, John 1:1-18) - This song is an affirmation that the church is not a building or a book, but the people that love and follow God. This song says YOU, yes you sweet little queer, are God’s love letter. The Bible is not the pure manifestation of God, it is YOU. You are God’s handiwork and you are good.

2. Wonderfully Made (based on Psalm 139) - This song says that each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made by God, without exception.

3. That God Has Made Clean (based on Acts 10, Matt. 15:1-14, Mark 7:1-15, Hebrews 9-10:25, Matt 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, Exodus 26:31-33) - God says “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” and I take that to mean any human being. God made each of us in their image. The veil has been torn that separates us from God’s presence and all of us have a place in God’s love.

4. Heavy Loads (based on Matt. 23, Acts 15:5-11, Gal. 3:23-25, Isaiah 1:13-17, Luke 10:25-37, Matt. 11:28-30) - Jesus told the religious leaders of his time that they were putting heavy loads on people and doing nothing to help them, and he accused them of keeping people away from heaven. This song draws parallels to today’s religious leaders.

5. God is Love (based on 1 John 4:7-21) - This song says that God is love, and that’s all that matters. Love is love and love is God, so all love is beautiful and sacred and precious to God.

6. The Body of Christ (based on 1 Cor. 12:12-27, Eph. 2:11-22, Col. 3:11-17) - This song says we are all a part of God’s body and every part is necessary.

7. Out of the Overflow (based on Luke 6:27-45, Matt. 12:33-37, Gal. 5:22-23​​) - This song says love your enemies, do not judge, and a good tree bears good fruit so let the actions speak for themselves.