This Week from Mitch
Beloved in Christ,
This week our church will participate in Columbia's "Famously Hot Pride" festivities. I am grateful for everyone who is helping. As a church, it's important for us to know why we do what we do. To say we welcome our LGBTQ friends without thinking about it from a theological standpoint is not enough. While I could write a paper or two on this topic, I thought I would offer one brief thought.
John 3:16-17: "(16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
Scripture like the quote above has often been used to condemn, particularly when taken out of context. For instance there are many who know what John 3:16 says, but not John 3:17. This misuse of scripture is nothing new. It was wrong in our past and is wrong now. Sadly, in religion, much like in talk news, the loudest voices seem to largely dominate discussions. They yell so that a conversation cannot be had. They shout so that they need not listen. This too is wrong. I stand with Pride against such yelling.
Instead of condemnation and yelling, when I read the Gospels, I continually see God casting the widest net possible. In the face of the Pharisees and Sadducees constantly fighting over who is in and who is out, I hear the words of Jesus reminding us to love our neighbor as ourselves. God's word and presence in the world has never been intended for condemnation. John 3:17 makes that clear. Instead, I believe, from the moment we breathe our first breath to the moment we breathe our last, God calls us as we are to be agents of love, reconciliation, hope and joy. God's love is given equally to all. It is not dependent on sexuality, race or gender. Instead God's love sees us and loves us as we are, and in that love, we are each called to grow. I believe that in God's eyes, love is love, and as 1st John says, "where love is, God is."
This for me is just one of the reasons why I am proud to participate in Pride. It's why it is important for St. Martin's to be a safe place. It's why when we say, "All are welcome to take communion," we really mean "all."
In Christ,
Mitch+
