A particular word of welcome. We proclaim that the Gospel is God’s gift to all people, to be shared unconditionally, without regard to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic or family status, physical or mental abilities, or one’s appearance. We know that the world is often an unloving place and that the experience of alienation is all too common.
To those who have felt excluded here and elsewhere, we ask and pray for forgiveness, and extend a particular welcome in Christ’s love. We rejoice that because of our baptism, diversity has enriched, nurtured, and challenged the life and ministry we share as members of the body of Christ and workers in God’s world. We are a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation.
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2 comments:
I love most of this-- especially the proclamation about the Gospel, the acknowledgement that the world can be an unloving place and the special reaching out to folks who have felt excluded here and elsewhere. It's not too long, either, which is nice.
This affirmation is to the point. The explicit welcome is for the groups that are likely not to feel welcome.
The acknowledgement that "The world is often an unloving place" is a strong reaching out for me.
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