As I’ve mentioned here before, I am no longer a person of traditional faith, but I cherish some of the traditions I have practiced since I was a little girl. I love church on Sunday mornings, although these days I watch it online. I love the hymns and sing all of them. I love seeing that community of people. Almost every Sunday morning, something happens there that blesses me.

Many things have changed about church since I was a little girl and I am no longer a member of the denomination of my childhood. Still, I was blessed by many of the things I learned there.

Now, it breaks my heart that many congregations in that denomination are voting to “disaffiliate” in opposition to updating gender regulations. “Open doors, open hearts, open minds,” their mission statement, just rubs some of them the wrong way these days.

The denomination I joined in college and the parish in my old neighborhood is the one I watch on Sunday mornings. I print out the service leaflet here at home. At the top of it is the following:

“WELCOME!
As followers of Christ, we strive to be an inclusive and affirming congregation. Everyone is welcome to participate fully in our community life, regardless of race or ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, age, political views, education, physical ability, economic or employment situation, relationship status, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other markers of identity people sometimes use to create division. All are invited to receive Holy Communion. As St. Paul wrote in the Letter to the Romans, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.” Well wow. Just wow.
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I’m pretty sure Jesus did not exclude anyone. To exclude means to be exclusive. Makes me think of a Gentile country club or a gated community. The Gospel this morning was the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.

Almost every time I “watch” church, something touches me deeply. Today it was this:

Click on it a couple of times to enlarge it. The woman circled has been worshiping at St. Paul’s this year, now that she lives in the neighborhood. I believe she grew up in the Catholic church, seeing as how she knows when to kneel and cross herself. She has been rejected by that church and has been an Episcopalian for some years now. The two men standing at the back are her bodyguards. Welcome Governor.