A couple of weeks ago, my neighbor invited me to a healing service at her church. Along with the details of day and time and location, she shared with me that her church was welcoming to ALL. I can’t begin to explain the comfort I got in that little word all. This is a small Methodist congregation that meets at two locations. Since I was aware of the split in the Methodist church, I knew what she meant when she said they welcomed all. So I accepted the invitation.

I have to tell you I was emotional before the service even started. I grew up occasionally attending church with my great grandmother and it was a Methodist church. I got confirmed in the Methodist church when I was 15 and attended regularly after I was married and had kids. And although I attended several different denominations along the way and ended up at a non-denominational church for 20+ years…this felt a bit like coming home.

The healing service was very meaningful. After having several email conversations with the pastor, I decided that I would like to visit this church for a service on a Sunday. I wanted to support them since they are accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. I felt very comfortable going for the first time. Mike and I were commenting afterwards about how it can be unnerving visiting a church for the first time. Of all places, a church should be a place no one should ever feel uncertain about entering. Shouldn’t that be the safest place of all?

I have to say that this was the most welcoming church I have ever been to…and we’ve been to many. We were greeted before we were even able to get out of our car. Everyone was warm and inviting and it felt very genuine. It’s a small congregation and you could tell that everyone felt at home. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it and I’ve decided that I will attend there at least once a month. Again…I want to support them because they are accepting.

A few weeks ago at the church I attend regularly, we sang a song called Who You Say I Am by Hillsong. Singing this song brought me to tears. I couldn’t help but think of the people I know on this journey, not to mention my own son, that have been called the most appalling things because they are LGBTQ+. People tell them who they believe they are. Not all of these people are Christians of course, but sadly many of them profess to be so. The part of the song that really chokes me up is this…

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

There have been too many times that I’ve seen my friends in the LGBTQ+ community being told that they can’t be Christian. I recently saw a pole that 50% of LGBTQ+ individuals consider themselves to be religious. Yet many of them don’t have a church that they can call home. In my Father’s house there’s a place for me. God has a place for them, but His people take that away. I know of someone who attended a church where the members started a petition to get them banned. I know someone else who was told by the ushers that there were no available seats in the sanctuary only to see person after person enter after them and shown to a seat.

Yesterday in church we heard about a recent mission trip that some from our church members went on to Roatan. They go to an orphanage called Sandy Bay Lighthouse. Currently they are housing 25 children who have been abandoned or orphaned. The person sharing told us that they sang this song. She watched as these children sang with all their hearts despite their difficult circumstances. I would like to think that’s because the people who run the orphanage have been showing these kids the love of God. We sang the song yesterday as a reminder of what the team witnessed in those children. I thought I cried a lot a few weeks ago. Man it was tough to get through. I was again reminded of all of the LGBTQ+ folks who long not to be “church orphans.” At the same time, I was thanking God for places like the church I visited. I just wish there were more of them.

So…I want to remind anyone reading this of who God says you are…from the song

You are…

A child of God
Welcomed
Free
Chosen
And most importantly…LOVED…and it matters