Women of the ELCA

Hello all,
Easter blessings! We saw lots of new faces at our church in New York City on Easter. Our conversation about radical welcome was deep in my heart as I looked out over a sea of new faces that beautiful, brisk morning. I wondered, “How are these visitors experiencing worship with us this morning?” “How is our language in worship inviting to those unfamiliar with it?” “Do I see our existing members reaching out a hand of welcome to the newcomers sitting all around them?” “If not, why not?”

I have thought much about Stephanie’s discussion about creating “holding environments” for welcome within our churches. Holding environments are places within our ministries that are open to and comfortable with the fears and discomforts that come with change. They are also places that nurture fears while creating a place of boldness and courage. Wouldn’t it be a blessing if our ministries could become such beautiful places of welcome? Places where all of our humanity with its joys, fears, uncertainties and loves could be held together as we move further along the path to radical welcome of all of God’s children?

I’m interested in hearing if your congregation is such a “holding environment.” And if it is, what is the uniqueness it is holding? How can we become stronger holding environments in our congregations?

Peace and joy,
Elise

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“If we become radically welcoming, will we lose our core identity?” Throughout our conversations about radical welcome, the question has come up again and again. And I suspect it always will. So in this post, I’d like to pose a question: what parts of Lutheran identity actually prepare us for radical welcome? Because it’s not all about sloughing off the past, shucking the “bad” tradition and putting on the “good” new stuff. It’s also about capturing and holding up the gifts of our tradition that make it possible for us to be a blessing and receive The Other in the name of Christ.

I’m reminded of a post on the WELCA discussion board, where a wise guest remarked:

“… hospitality begins in the desire to bless the stranger, to share with her the resources with which one has been entrusted. Abraham saw that the three visitors needed baths, shade, food, and rest, and he and Sarah provided all of these before the tables were turned and he received the promise of Isaac. Spiritually, this would seem to translate into sharing with visitors the spiritual victuals of Lutheranism: justification by grace through faith, remembering one’s baptism, rich sacramental life, etc.” (posted by Scott Huelin, 3.01.09)

I was so grateful for that comment, because it started a conversation that is both practical and absolutely essential for change. No one starts from nothing. How do we work with what we’ve got? How does a rich sacramental life help us to see Jesus alive in the stuff of ordinary life … including the changing communites surrounding our congregations? How does justification by grace through faith give us the freedom to take risks in the name of Christ, without being paralyzed by the fear of getting it wrong? How does remembering our baptism — baptism into the life, death and resurrection of Jesus — infuse us with a blast of Spirit power, and send us racing out to do the radically welcoming mission of the One whose name we bear?

You’ll find more practical answers to these questions in the companion book study for Radical Welcome. Sessions 4 and 5 help congregations to walk through two rounds of questions: first, a round to imagine the dream of God for your congregation together; then, a round to study your reality, see how far you are from the dream, what work you’ll need to take on as the body of Christ. This is a concrete way to get to know the dream of God (or the picture of the transformation before you) and your reality (including the gifts that will prepare you for transformation and the burdens you can finally, lovingly place back on the shelf because you don’t need them as much as you once thought). There’s nothing instantaneous about welcoming and embracing and sharing life with The Other. It will take all our best gifts … plus the vivid presence of the Holy Spirit among us!

A blessed resurrection to you all. Let’s remember that God is always raising up new life, and that it’s a joy — not just a chore — to be God’s partners in that ministry of renewal and transformation.

Amen? Amen!

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In Part III, Stephanie points out that a congregations’ goal of diversity is not the same as being a radically welcoming church. We must be honest with ourselves, about what our goals are in order to become radically welcoming. In order to be radically welcoming we most be committed to ministry and therefore committed to God’s mission. It is difficult to distinguish between our goals and ideas and God’s mission. As a kid the adults often said our hands God’s work we must own this statement to truly become radically welcoming.

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I once heard a dear friend and colleague referring to radical welcome as an effort to change worship, making it more accessible to different cultures. I turned to her and said, “Huh? You’ve read the book! You know it’s about transformation at the personal level and throughout the congregational system — in our leadership, our ministries and community relationships, our vision and mission as a congregation, our identity, all the places where power gets exercised. Worship is one of those places, but not the whole story.”

“I guess I know that,” she told me. “But it just seems like that’s the thing you talk about the most. And when you do, you get really excited. If someone were just watching you, they’d definitely think worship was at the heart of radical welcome.”

Oh.

The truth is, I do believe it’s tough to radically welcome The Other on the margins of your congregation — whether The Other is young adults, or a different cultural/ethnic group, or poor and working-class people, or gay and lesbian people or some combination of several groups — if your worship is off-limits for transformation. You can be incredibly friendly and inviting, welcoming people who are pretty much like you to come and make the “family” even larger. You can be inclusive, getting excited at the idea of people who represent some “difference” … as long as they don’t expect to share the power to actualy help to shape the congregation’s life (“It’s not that we don’t like them,” we say, “it’s just that we’ve got to be clear on our identity”).

But radical welcome? Increasingly, I am convinced that pursuing this holy, Spirit-led transformation will and should eventually make an impact on our worship. Believe me, it makes a difference. Imagine you’re a young adult, walking into a church. Imagine that they’ve got a sign outside that says, “We welcome you!” and pictures of young people. But imagine that the music is primarily classical or traditional church music drawn from the European- and European-American canon, much of it assuming the ability to read music. Imagine the people who are serving are mostly 45 and up or 13 and younger. Imagine you’ve got to juggle books, and that people keep uttering phrases you can’t find in any book. Imagine the words are stilted and formal.

There are things that resonate for you — the communion meal was mind-blowing, the Peace felt like home, the people were kind, the commitment to social justice was inspiring. But it feels so foreign, even uncomfortable, at odds with the church’s message. And members shake their heads and tell you, “Oh, this is who we are. Our worship can’t change.”

Would you return? Would you feel welcomed … radically? Or would you depart feeling as if your story, your culture, your community, had no place in this congregation?

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Dear all,
I have been thinking about Stephanie’s categories of Acculturation, Assimilation and Inculturation regarding worship in the chapter on Re-imagining Your Common Life. Stephanie says, “Worship is a community’s most important, most accessible, public offering. It communicates our values, our culture and our priorities: it shapes us as followers of Christ.” (p. 110.)

Worship is so central to our congregational life and identity, and yet it can be a place where radical welcome is not practiced. There does seem to be an expectation that a newcomer has to either assimilate or acculturate to our way of doing things. But it’s so hard to offer worship experiences that truly welcome everyone, because we are all so different! We like different kinds of music; some like spirited, up-beat music, while others prefer quiet, contemplative music that enables serene reflection. Some people love to stand up the whole service; others prefer to stay seated. Some people have small children who move around and make noise; others bring in elderly friends, family or neighbors with wheelchairs or other mobility devices who need open spaces and accessible buildings to be able to fully participate.

How do we craft a worship experience that meets so many disparate needs? It is a great challenge for all of our congregations. Yet, I believe the most improtant element in radical welcome is the spirit within the congregation that opens its hands and hearts to the newcomer. The kind voice that says, “Welcome. It’s good to have you here.” And does that with a sincere, caring heart.

How do others help create communities of radical welcome in worship? Are there certain things you do? How can we help each other learn to be radically welcoming, and truly open to the newcomer seated next to us in the pew?

Elise

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Stephanie reminds us through-out the chapter that what we think is Radically Welcoming may not be welcoming at all. It makes you wonder what others think of you. It makes it clear that we must spend some time on self evaluation to be the church family we want to be.

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Helpful is Spellers discussion on mutual embrace and how it might be Insightful for radical welcome.Opening of self to the marginalized,silenced and oppressed is obviously no easy task.I do agree with Spellers about the level of discernment needed, but I also believe that opening of the self in order to be open for the other,concerted effort is needed.Influenced by dynamics communality the question of self opening to the other might not seem significant enough for those coming from communal cultures like I do. However, in doing a cultural self critique, it becomes clear on how difficult it often is when relating with the other. Also, doing self critique might help promote paradigm shift from moral blame and accuse to that of responsibility and solidarity.This example stands to illustrate our universal brokenness and our need for Christ’s saving grace wherever we may be situated in this world.

from Margaret Obaga

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My friends,

One of the gifts of radical welcome is a willingness to receive the other as IS.Tendency to put conditions for the other is with us all the time. When we wonder why the other is acting strange, the quite cynicism or simply ignoring the other. The notion of helping others because they are needy or because “I don’t need it anymore.” However, this is not to give up the self foolishly. Rather, in wisdom serve the Lord, for God alone gives this wisdom.

Posted for Margaret Obaga

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Karen Melang
Habitat for Humanity
Fremont, Nebraska

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