Last week I presented a program about the church being kinder; it was made great by the 50+ attendees who really engaged in conversation and, I think, a little soul-searching. I told the group about something I have done in every community I have served in before I went there. I go around to businesses in the area and ask them about the church I am considering. In almost every case I got blank stares and responses like “what church?” and “I think they aren’t open anymore.” This isn’t unique to these congregations; I would bet that most of our religious communities are invisible to the larger community. Or worse: they could be known for their Christmas Bizarre or Ham dinners, but not their outreach. And please don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing wrong with those kinds of events. If your congregation is only known for them, however, there might be a problem.
If people in the community don’t know about a congregation’s welcoming spirit or generosity or care for the poor, that should be a cause for concern. If a religious leader can travel incognito in the community where their building is located in, you might want to consider why. I know I am doing my job when I get the occasional letter or email telling me I am going to hell because we are an Open & Affirming congregation. I consider it a victory when I write a letter to the editor and get people riled up. It isn’t about politics; it’s about Jesus. If our congregations aren’t places where hungry people can go for food and spiritual nourishment, we are missing the mark.
Who do people say we are? The church I serve is known as “the gay church”. We are “the emergency food church” and “the place that helps with the overdue electric bill church”. We have great worship and great people; that can be said for lots of religious communities. But if nobody knows what your congregation does for the community, what good are you really doing? Jesus wasn’t too happy with people who only loved people they knew or were related to. And if people revile us for our open-mindedness and acceptance, that’s okay with me. Jesus told His disciples that they were blessed when that happened. Our churches have been playing it safe for too long, and while that may have helped them get by in the 1950s, I don’t think it works anymore. I would rather be excluded for who I accept than be accepted for who I exclude, as the popular meme says. I would rather be known as the gay church than the anti-gay church; or worse, not known at all!
The old song tells us that they will know we are Christians by our love. How do people know who you are? Who do people say you are? Could your congregation be found guilty of being Christian? It might be interesting to find out.
Prayer – Holy God, teach us to speak out with love and compassion so that those who are oppressed will know that we stand with them. Amen.
Today’s art is by Ivey Hayes.