I like that about my church. That all are welcome. I attend the church I do because I walked into a different church one Sunday a coupla years ago and asked if I'd be welcome there with my wife and son. I was polite. I wanted to know. No use in wasting my time if I wouldn't be welcome because of a part of me that I'm unwilling to fake my way out of. Anyway, they said that perhaps I'd be more comfortable elsewhere and suggested I instead try Faith Lutheran Church. So I did. And when I did, I asked the same question. Will I be welcome here?
The answer was a resounding "yes!". And it's proven to be true. Today, during the sermon, Pastor Brenda read something I'd written in my blog a few days back. She'd asked my permission first and I'd given it. Now, I'm not one to hide who I am. I live my life pretty out there. If I have something to say, I say it. And I knew that by having my blog read during the sermon, I'd be "outed" to everybody who was there. I life my life "out" so the only people who didn't know I'm a lesbian are people who've never taken the time to know me or people who are trying not to know.
Anyway, Pastor Brenda read that blog post. She challenged the congregation to welcome my wife if she came to church. She challenged the congregation to step in and help moms with kids who don't sit still. She challenged the congregation to welcome ALL into this House of God. I'm proud of her. And I'm proud of the congregation. I've never felt anything but warmth from them. While I'm wary to call any church my "church home", this church is coming closer than any others have in many years.
Welcoming people you don't know, people who might be different, can be kind of risky. Thank you for taking the risk. Keep welcoming. You do it well.
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