A Welcoming Congregation -- Theolog Posting

Jason Byassee of the Christian Century and editor of the CC blog -- Theolog -- asked me to contribute to the blog and it is up now. It is a reflection on what it means to be a welcoming congregation. I invite you to check out the posting here and offer your comments. I'm interested in seeing where this conversation will go. By the way, yes this does have to do with gays in the church!

Comments

Mike L. said…
Bob, what exactly did you mean by:

"...one of our newest members is a lesbian—but not everyone has processed what this really means in practice"

(you don't have to answer that)
Robert Cornwall said…
Good question -- What I was getting at was that we have embraced being a place of welcome, but because not everyone is aware of this person's sexual orientation. We're still learning together what it means to be welcoming. I hope that somewhat clarifies things.
Anonymous said…
Thanks,Bob,for your posting on Theolog re: "A Welcoming Congregation." I left my main comment on the Theolog site, however, I would like to affirm your recognition that it is a process; that the congregation must continue to learn what it means to be welcoming ... and hopefully affirming. It is, indeed, a different thing to go through our own process, than to nurture a congregation of people through a process. When each person in the congregation has his or her own history and experience. Truly is is the work of the Spirit that brings us through to a new level of faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

-- Jacque Foster
FaithStones.wordpress.com
Anonymous said…
In our tradition, we are what is called a "welcoming and affirming" congregation. So, I can say that it was easier to become welcoming than to be affirming. We now have had gay and lesbian deacons for awhile and have performed 2 "holy unions," and one of our heterosexual couples decided to get married in church, but without the legal blessing of the state since that option isn't available to gay and lesbian couples. But other members have grumpled and some have accused this brave couple of not being "really married," as if Christian marriage and the state's legal blessing were the same thing!

Keep struggling. New people come in, etc. and the struggle continues. Oh, since GLBT folks have been so "unwelcome" elsewhere, you may soon find yourself with a somewhat disproportionate membership as word gets around that yours is a "safe" church. We found that out, anyway.

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