Hi everyone,

I know, this is coming at you all a day late. In my defence, I had a big day yesterday. Not only was it Father’s Day, but my family also had to be out at Granville Island to watch our youngest in her play/production/recital/show. And not just that, but I made a pretty big reveal in my sermon for yesterday (found here). So now that we’re all caught up, back to today’s programming (which technically should have come yesterday…).

I just got off the phone with someone who called to offer their full support, and also wonder out loud how my family can be so “brave” (that was the word used, I don’t think I would have chosen that… I might have went with “brazen”).

The thing is, I didn’t say anything really in my sermon yesterday that I haven’t said a thousand times before. I didn’t rock any theological boats. I didn’t challenge anyone’s belief systems.

I only honestly informed everyone of something that happened, and what I felt an appropriate response would be. Not because I’m changing the rules for my family, not because I’m acting out of some sort of divine nepotism, not because I’m trying to brainwash anyone into thinking like me. But because all I said was what I always say: God love us, welcomes us, and saves us.

Well, not in those exact words, but that is the gist.

When we proclaim “all are welcome” there should be no caveats to that. When we say “God loves you” there aren’t to be any conditions. When we say “Jesus is our Saviour and Lord” that is not permission for us to take that role or fill those shoes.

God loves us. We don’t make ourselves loved. Jesus saves us. We don’t save ourselves. The Spirit leads us and guides us. We don’t have to do that for everyone else.

This doesn’t mean we don’t live in community, but it means that we can welcome others into it. We can love others just as they are. We can highlight the value in each other that God has deemed to be worth saving.

Here are the readings for next week:
Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42
and a video of them being read:

Our sign in front of the church says “All Are Welcome”. Granted, I’m the one who put it there, but in general most people would agree with the sentiment. But I often wonder how many “but if’s” or “unless’s” we subconsciously put on it.

That isn’t what Jesus teaches or does. That isn’t what our scriptures reveal about us and each other. That isn’t what God desires for us in our created selves.

Rather, we are called to love. We are created to love. We are made because we are loved.

And I think that is the point of our faith (or one of them, at least). And the one that is perhaps the least amount of effort and brings in the most amount of joy. To love, to welcome, to see the value in another person truly does open our eyes to the beauty of creation, the wonder of God’s hand at work, and the depth of grace that is given to us all. Whether they look like us, act like us, or believe like us. All.

Thanks be to God! Have a great week, everyone!