June Ministry Focus: God’s Doors are Open to Everyone!

"This is Christ’s Church. There is a place for you here. We are the church that shares a living, daring confi-dence in God’s grace. Liberated by our faith, we embrace you as whole person - questions, complexities and all.” www.ELCA.org/lgbtqia

Social Ministry team has created and installed a temporary display for the month of June to intentionally welcome people who historically have been marginalized in the church — especially BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & people of color), people with disabilities, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual.) Be Loved.

Jesus calls each and everyone of us to love God and one another, to practice radical hospitality, and to serve all people without exception. We welcome everyone to join us, no matter race, culture, ethnicity, age, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, socioeconomic position, family status, background, or where you are in your faith journey. Each of us are a unique and beloved child of God. We want you to know each of us are accepted and affirmed just as we are - with all our differences and all our gifts. We commit ourselves to embracing the work of anti-racism, social and economic justice, and environmental care. We invite you to join with us, as through Christ, we joyfully and inclusively love and serve our community.

An inviting and welcoming church is one of the stated goals for the ELCA, expressed in its strategic document Future Directions 2025. Through the stated priorities of this goal, the ELCA will address discrimination and oppression by equipping and supporting church members to understand, speak out and act against discrimination based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation and social status. The ELCA has many social statements, these are teaching documents that assist members in forming judgements on social issues. They also set policy for the ELCA and guide its advocacy and work as a public church. You can find more information on the ELCA’s website: www.elca.org

Please share in this prayer: Eternal Savior, we have formed cliques and identities that differentiate us from one another. But Living God, in Your eyes there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. Lord, I pray that we see things like You do, I pray that we see past race, culture, ethnicity, age, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, socioeconomic position, family status, and past all of the labels which we use to divide ourself, one from another. Because our Lord taught us that such labels are unimportant in Your kingdom. Christ shows us that all are God's beloved children, and we declare inclusivity in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.