PJ’s Page
All are welcome, we sing and say….and we mean it. No matter your race, gender (if any), economic status, education, sexuality, religion, faith, nationality….all are welcome. This is a safe space.
To that end, I invite you to have a look elsewhere in this newsletter at the Luther Memorial Lutheran Church Policy on Sexual Harassment and Misconduct. Harassment, assault, and abuse within the Church have been in the news headlines for a long time, most recently involving the Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist, and United Methodist denominations. Our denomination is not immune and in our congregation, we have taken steps since 2005, when this policy was adopted, to protect all who enter our doors. Too often, inappropriate behaviors are dismissed as “harmless” or “meaningless”, but we must not shy away from standing up to those behaviors and comments. I encourage you, if you experience anything you find inappropriate, to come to me or to the Council President.
All are Welcome does not mean that all behaviors are welcome.
Hospitality is a vital role in the ministry of any community and in our life together as disciples of Jesus. How we welcome one another, whether we are friends or strangers, says much about who we consider Jesus to be. Do we make a point of speaking to those we don’t know? Do we approach someone who is sitting or standing alone? It can be as simple as saying “I’m Julie, have we met?” or “Wow…it’s a snowy/sunny/rainy day out there.” It’s easy to talk to those we know and love, but remember Jesus always calls us to welcome the stranger.
One of the ways we are welcomed at Luther Memorial on Sunday mornings is with coffee and snacks. There is a sign up sheet at the Welcome Center for anyone who would like to provide just a few food items and make the coffee (directions are provided). This is a great way to be a part of the ministry of hospitality at Luther Memorial!
Finally, we are very close to welcoming our new neighbors at Compass Broadview. Not everyone will move in at the same time; it’s likely that, beginning in the middle of this month, though, we will see new neighbors begin to move in. We will encounter them outside, in the parking lot, perhaps walking through the garden, or on the street. It’s hard, especially here in the Seattle Freeze, to reach out to a stranger, but remember, they have moved into a new neighborhood and a strange place. How can we be a voice of welcome? Even with a look in the eye, a smile, and a “good morning” we convey the light of Christ that shines in the world and inhabits our hearts.
We give thanks for this place: for the love that surrounds us on every side, for the words of Jesus, calling us to care deeply for one another, for in welcoming the stranger, some have entertained angels without even knowing it.
Faithfully,
Pastor Julie+