Speaking & singing to God
One of the questions we are often asked is ‘How can we make the words we use in church more inclusive for everyone?’
So we’ve gathered here some beautiful prayers, services, poems and songs (which some churches call ‘liturgy’) - our Open Table communities have found these to be inclusive and affirming.
Our inspiration & song
This hymn inspired one of our founders. It speaks of the infinite, unconditional, intimate love of God and inspires us to model this in the hospitality we offer in our communities. ‘Come As You Are’ is our invitation to belong in our growing network.
Some of these resources have been created with LGBTQIA+ people very much in mind - while some is even more widely accepting and welcoming. We find it encouraging and affirming that there is so much to choose from.
Please browse here to find pieces that give you personal strength and encouragement. Or pick and choose what you want to use as you plan for services where two or more are gathered together.
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Watch this space:
Our YouTube channel has playlists of our online worship services, songs for worship, and songs for Christmas.
You are more than welcome to use any of these in your services - please credit Open Table Network.We are beginning to explore offering training in inclusive worship - Sign up for our e-news to find our first when this is available.
If you have found other resources you would recommend to others, please contact us and we’ll look at adding them to this page.
Inclusive worship resources:
“Using the language that individuals use for themselves shows that we care as a Church and that we affirm them as a child of God.”
Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Various publications
Gender Inclusive Language & Worship by Adrian Thatcher, Modern Church
Janet Morley, All Desires known
June Boyce-Tilman, A Rainbow To Heaven
Solidarity Liturgy by Alex Clare-Young
Steven Shakespeare: Prayers for an Inclusive Church and The Earth Cries Glory
WorshipWords (including services written especially for Open Table - see below)
LGBTQIA+ focus
WorshipWords - Services written especially for Open Table
Alex Clare-Young, First Love Yourself: A reflection & resources for Valentine’s Day [PDF download]
Alex Clare-Young, Naming, Honouring, Celebrating: Worship resources for International Trans Day of Visibility
Alex Clare-Young, Stones and bread, mourning and joy: Resources for Trans Day of Remembrance
Alex & Jo Clare-Young ed. Grace like glitter: Resources for Pride
enfleshed: spiritual resources for collective liberation
Geoffrey Duncan, Courage to Love: An Anthology of Inclusive Worship Material & other books
ReconcilingWorks - Worship, liturgy and scripture resources
Religious Institute - includes resources for Pride Month and National Coming Out Day
The Hymn Society, Songs for the holy other
Queer Grace, Language in worship
Qspirit: promotes LGBTQ spirituality
“Using non-traditional language for God in worship can take many different forms. Some churches choose to use ‘inclusive’ language for God - not using genders, gendered pronouns, or specifically gendered metaphors for God. Others choose to use multiple images and metaphors for God, including understandings of God as both male and female. This is often called ‘expansive’ language. Language that expands beyond God as a single gender is also sometimes called ‘gender-neutral’ or ‘genderless.’”