Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil Liturgy
Time to Remember
History and Authors
The ‘Time to Remember’ vigil was developed in 2004 as a commemoration event organised by LGBT Youth, the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing and Metropolitan Community Church, Edinburgh. Authors of this service:
Lewis Payne, a gay transmen, a member of MCC Edinburgh
Maxwell Reay from LGBT Youth
Tony Stevenson, from the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing
Edited by: Melanie Martinez and Angel Collie, Co-Leaders, MCC Transgender Resource Team
Introduction to Vigil
Transgender Day of Remembrance began in 1999 as a result of the increasing anti-transgender violence and discrimination. The first memorial event was held in November 1999 to remember and honour Rita Hester, who was murdered on murdered on November 28th, 1998 in Boston, USA. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — is still unsolved.
The vigil will provide a time of remembrance and a time of solidarity/celebration. In preparation, collect names from your local community and region by soliciting names and stories within your congregation. You may also seek further reports and names from
We also honor and celebrate the steps forward we have made individually, as a community, and around the globe toward the liberation of all transgender people. Seek advances in legislation, law enforcement, large company benefits, etc. as a measure of our accomplishments. Also, collect the personal stories of the “little” triumphs regarding gender in our lives (a family member’s acceptance, a doctor found, a church community outreach, etc.)…they all add up to great movements.
Bulletin begins on next page…
How the Vigil will Work
The vigil will begin with remembrance of those who have experienced anti-transgender violence and discrimination. We will read the names of those we have been asked to remember and light candles in their honor. Then there will be an opportunity for you to name those who have experienced violence and discrimination, by saying a name and lighting a candle.
The second part of the vigil will focus on our journey to liberation. We will name the achievements of the past year and light candles to honour those who have made these achievements possible. There will be an opportunity for you to remember successes and to light candles to honour these achievements – these can be any thing you like they might be about coming out, naming, taking hormones, dressing in the manner of your own choice for the first time – whatever you feel.
Throughout there will be periods of silence and periods with music playing. This is our space to use as we choose, so please join in and make it yours.
Act of Remembrance
Music
Leader:
George Santayana said “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”
A wise person said:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose in all creation:
A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to cast away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time for war, And a time for peace.”
And this, is our time to remember.
We remember:
Name (or “An unknown transperson”) in City, Province (State)/Country
We light a candle to honor them
Name (or “An unknown transperson”) in City, Province (State)/Country
We light a candle to honor them
Music
Prayer
Loving God, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so people can no longer terrify them. (Psalm 10:17-18, New Living Translation, inclusive)
Music
Leader:
This is a time to celebrate our journey towards liberation and full human rights. After each section please say names and light candles as you wish.
We lift up all those who have gone before us to bring about the full human rights of transgender people and all other oppressed groups.
Pause for candlelighting.
We remember those who have worked to bring about the passage of the Gender Recognition Act and other important legal victories.
Pause for candlelighting.
We remember those who do not get access to the health care they need.
Pause for candlelighting.
We remember people all those who are rejected by their families, friends and communities.
Pause for candlelighting.
We remember all those lovers, friends, families and communities that support us on our gender journeys.
Pause for candlelighting.
We remember that the journey is not over and that we will continue to work towards full human rights and equal services for all transgender people
We remember and celebrate our own journeys and the journeys of those in our community
Pause for candlelighting.
We celebrate together for our human spirit and our ability to change the world we live in.
Pause for candlelighting.
Music
Sending Out
Music Suggestions:
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Elton John
I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor
Flowers in the Window, Travis
Follow the Light, Travis