This Pastor Gave a Sermon in Full Drag & Our Hearts Are Full

Aaron Musser, a Chicago pastor at St Luke’s Lutheran Church on Logan Square, donned full drag for a recent sermon.

The service took place on December 13. Queerty reports that St. Luke's promoted the event on Facebook beforehand. “TOMORROW—Seminarian Aaron is our preacher, and he’s preaching in drag! We invite you to wear garments/accessories that make you feel 100%, like the best version of yourself."

The service was live-streamed on Zoom and reportedly included  LGBTQ+ theory. Musser said, "Preaching in drag is a theological reflection on joy: Joy overflows so abundantly, it can’t help but make itself known. Weaving together the day’s theme, queer theory, and lectionary texts, we will ‘dress rehearse’ for joy."

Musser also led the kids in prayer and read a children’s book called Joy by Corrinne Averiss.

Read some of the service below:

“Today, we consider what it might be like to have a dress rehearsal for the kind of joy awaiting us on the other side of Advent. It’s been so hard to know what that joy will be, because it’s been so long since some of us have been joyful. It’s been a difficult and tiring couple of years.

And I decided instead of telling you, ‘this is how I want you to be joyful,’ as we prepare for this dress rehearsal, I figured I would instead put on a dress as so many who have inspired me have done. I decided to follow their example, showing that liberation from oppressive laws clears a path for joy.

But allowing yourself to feel joy can be scary. I wasn’t sure how the outside world would handle me when they saw me this morning. Joy is difficult to feel, it’s vulnerable. But isn’t it so beautiful?”