A Church of the Future and It Is Good
The following blog by The Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards, Co-Moderator of More Light Presbyterians, originally appeared in The Huffington Post on August 22, 2011.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in ..." Matthew 25:35
This past weekend, Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio celebrated twenty years of being a More Light Church -- a congregation where "everyone is invited into full membership and ministry regardless of sexual orientation." Mt. Auburn boldly proclaims that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are part of God's good creation.
But twenty years ago, not everyone was sure. It was 1991 when the people of Mt. Auburn decided to declare themselves an inclusive church. They announced to the world they would begin to practice the same radical hospitality that Jesus did. And while there was much joy, there were also a number of fears from some in the congregation.
"Would their church become a gay church -- one made up of only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at the exclusion of others?" and "Would their church become a single issue church -- one that focuses on inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender to the exclusion of other interests and activities?"
There were also fears of rejection from the broader church and world, some of which manifested in church court cases where Mt. Auburn had to repeatedly defend its hospitality and welcome.
In the end, no court case, no rejection and no fear could dissuade Mt. Auburn from practicing Jesus' love for all. After all, Scripture tells us, "There is no fear in love" (1 John 4:18).
Today, Mt. Auburn thrives! Members participate in justice concerns in Cincinnati such as support the St. George Food Pantry . They also support prison ministry and schools in Brazil and Tanzania. The inclusive policy statement of the church doesn't stop with LGBT people; it also proclaims that people are welcome regardless of "age, race, ethnic origin and worldly condition."
They built it and the people came. Young couples with children have joined Mt. Auburn because they want a church for their family that models Jesus' love. These parents know that, no matter who their children grow up to be, they will be loved in this church.
While many faithful Christians today are beginning to move in the direction of full inclusion, Mt. Auburn has been showing us the way to the future of the church, since the early 1990s. Today, as Christian churches around the country yearn to grow their congregations and to reach out with the message of love that Jesus taught, Mt. Auburn's experience is joyfully our guide.
Teens and young adults come to church at Mt. Auburn because they see a church that has let go of the hypocrisy of teaching love while shunning certain groups of people -- including their friends.
The radical hospitality of Mt. Auburn reflects a deep commitment to living the teachings of Jesus Christ and is the future for Christians everywhere. Whether in a mega-church, a house church, or a medium-sized congregation, congregations that affirm God's wide embrace are thriving
This is good news for us all. I trust you see why.
Michael Adee, Executive Director of More Light Presbyterians, also contributed to this piece. Michael was ordained by Mt. Auburn as their first openly gay Elder in 1993. Adee says, "Mt. Auburn loved me back to faith. I would not be in the Church, any church if not for Mt. Auburn."
Follow Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RevJanetEdwards
Comments
Thanks for your comment and more
Thanks, Molly, for your comment, especially your hope in the future of the Presbyterian Church (USA)--a hope I share. You are right that the way has been cleared for all PCUSA churches to be as welcoming as Mt. Auburn and yet it is also wise, I think, to check by asking good questions before going to any PCUSA church. Freedom of conscience also preserves that for the conservative position as well.
And, Mt. Auburn was involved in two different kinds of judicial proceedings in the church (not the civil setting) in the 90's because of its welcoming stance. One involved their election of Michael Adee, an out gay man, as an elder. The other involved the pastor of the church presiding at wedding of two men or two women. Because there is even now no agreement in the PCUSA on these matters, there are still judicial cases pending and possible in the PCUSA even with the new ordination standards.
These church court proceedings give us a measure of how far the church has come and how important the witness of churches like Mt. Auburn has been to bring us to this moment. It also does challenge us to be as faithful and courageous as Mt. Auburn in the next stretch to continue the movement in the PCUSA.
VERY Nice article. I would
VERY Nice article.
I would like to suggest to the author pointing out the recent rulings from the Presbyerian Church at the last General Assembly to be inclusive to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender peoples.
The article does a great job of highlighting what a wonderful church this is, but without giving outsiders a description of the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) as a whole, it almost gives the impression this particular church's beliefs are a rarity in our faith. It's many years of being open and vocal are indeed rare, but I hope outsiders know the growth we're seeing across the board of acceptance. It may be "radical" in the eyes of the world, but I hope it's becoming the "norm" of Presbyterian churches everywhere.
It also seems a bit misleading when discussing court cases, as if the Presbyerian Church (PCUSA) took this particular church to court! If they did, I'm shocked. If not, maybe clarify that it was a worldly entity and not the governing body that took them to court.
I applaud this church and the writer for showcasing them!
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