God is Still Speaking … About Extravagant Welcome

Resources for Churches on Welcome and Inclusion of People of Color, People with Disabilities, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Persons

D ELBERT L ANCASTER, P EG S LATER & R EBECCA V OELKEL I NTRODUCTION B Y R ON B UFORD

Introduction I also want to direct your attention to several folks in the national setting of the Dear Stillspeaking Friends, UCC who can be of assistance should you have additional questions about offering I am excited to share with you new welcome and hospitality. materials to support continue to expand your extravagant welcome in Jesus’ Rev. Peg Slater—Minister for Diversity and name. Inclusion Coordinator Rev. Vilma Machin-Vazquez—Minister for As you know, the response to The Multiracial, Multicultural Transformation Stillspeaking Initiative has been Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer—Executive and tremendous. The energy, passion and Minister for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and enthusiasm have been palpable. And we Transgender Concerns and HIV/AIDS are grateful for your partnership in this Ministries gospel endeavor. Mr. Delbert Lancaster—Minister for Affirmative Action and Diversity Initiatives Many of you have remarked that, as new people come to your congregation, it Each of them can be reached by calling – would be helpful to have some resources, 1-866-822-8224. ideas, worship tools, etc. to help your church build on and enlarge its genuine Thank you again for your work with us in welcome—especially to persons who this exciting project. Indeed, God is Still might be of color, have a disability, or Speaking and we respond with who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or extravagant welcome. transgendered. So a few weeks ago, I met with leaders of the UCC Disabilities In peace, Ministries, the Council on Racial Ethnic Ministries and the UCC Coalition for Ron Buford LGBT Concerns. They had asked how Acting Coordinator and Team Leader they could be helpful to The Stillspeaking The Stillspeaking Initiative Initiative; this resource is our response. God is Still Speaking… I am grateful to Delbert Lancaster, Peg About Extravagant Welcome Slater and Rebecca Voelkel for assembling these new materials. We Welcome to this potpourri of resources to hope you will find them helpful and easy help your Stillspeaking congregation to use. become an even more welcoming and inclusive local Body of Christ. There may be pleasant surprises for you as you

1 welcome people who may have felt little over a year ago the men in the excluded from your place of worship in congregation decided to go deeper and the past. Hopefully the Bible study, recreate the Men’s Council. Men, lots of stories, suggestions for use, liturgies, and men, African-American men, Latino men, resources will be helpful. In any event --- white men, meet on the fourth Saturday take delight and be prepared for of the month and share their lives and unexpected sojourners. stories with each other. We work at trying to support our children and youth Bible Study in the congregation and beyond. We just funded a mission trip to Mexico for a Read Acts, Chapter 10 (Suggestion— young woman in the community. Next have different people read the parts of year we plan to send 2 young people to Cornelius, Peter and the other this UCC sponsored mission program. characters. This allows folks to hear the story in a new way.) What is exciting for me is to be part of a group men who are willing to risk getting Group Questions: to know each other and then talk about difficult issues. We challenge each other, 1. Who is the “host” in this story? Who we surprise each other with our is the “guest”? openness, we grow with each other. It is 2. Whose responsibility is it to offer great to be a part of this totally diverse hospitality? group. We are a blessing to each other 3. What insights of faith and belief does and to the whole church. Peter gain? Cornelius? Other player? 4. What is at stake for Peter and for Our church is growing as African- Cornelius for following the visions American brothers, white brothers, Asian they have been given? brothers, and Latino brothers get to 5. What insights does this scripture give know each other, trust each other, and you? Your church community? serve our brother Jesus . It is great to 6. What is at stake for your community have the men back sharing responsibility from the implications of this portion in the whole church community. God is of the Book of Acts? still speaking…even to men!

Suggested Uses: small groups, as a frame Discussion Questions: for worship, use with regular Bible study group, after-worship discussion, or 1. Does you congregation have a men’s modified as a children’s message. group? 2. What is the purpose of the group? 3. What roles do men play in your Stories congregation? 4. Do you believe that men would like to Jorge’s story: be in a diverse group where they can share important aspects of their lives I belong to an inner city church that is and faith? trying to grow again. We were once a 5. Are men’s groups different from large, wealthy congregation with many of women’s groups? our city’s leaders in attendance. Times 6. What is it to be a ‘blessing’ to have changed, the neighborhood has another/others? changed, yet, the congregation is committed to stay in town. Martha’s story:

Our congregation works hard at being a My name is Martha. I am legally blind, truly multiracial and multicultural which, for me, means that I can see some church. On a Sunday morning you can shadows or shapes when the light is look around and see lots of diversity. A especially bright. I wear dark glasses to

2 keep the light stable. This prevents Andrea’s story: headaches and dizziness from too much light interplay. So, basically I see very The other day, I was watching TV and little at all. saw the UCC ad. It said that Jesus didn’t turn people away and neither did the I belonged to a church when I was a UCC. This made me very excited and I child, but left as I got older. People were called my partner to tell her that maybe kind, maybe too kind, they treated me as we could finally find a church home for if I were helpless. I felt like an object of the two of us and the kids. pity and I was angry. Over the years I missed music and sermons and being The next day I looked in the phone book with others when I prayed. I heard the and found the local UCC church. I was “God is still speaking’ ads on television nervous to call, which surprised me. and looked up a UCC church near me. I There was so much that came up for me thought I would give church one more as I picked up the phone---memories of chance. Sunday School and church choir, Confirmation class and youth group The first Sunday I attended church was trips, Bible study and all those committee wonderful. People were welcoming and meetings---my life had been the church nice, but two incidents made me very for so many years. But then there was happy. First of all the usher, a nice also the sting of rejection and shame of young man who had been a student of being asked to leave because I might hurt mine, asked me what would be helpful. the children I was teaching. It all came He didn’t try to guess what would be flooding back as I dialed the number. helpful. He asked me what I needed. That may seem like a little thing, but And then the voice on the other end of believe me it is not. It made me feel very the phone answered. When I explained welcome as a person. why I was calling, she interrupted me before I could finish, “Don’t you know Second, a little boy asked me why I wore that homosexuality is a sin….” glasses inside church. His Mom didn’t try to hush him up. I explained that I am Discussion questions for a gathered blind, but some light bothers me and group: gives me a headache. I said that I was a nicer person without a headache, not so 1. What do you believe the Realm of God crabby. He said that that made sense really looks like? and maybe he should get some, too. We 2. Who is present in the Realm of God? all laughed. 3. How does our vision of the Realm of God impact what we do in our daily I have been back to this hospitable lives? congregation over and over. I will be 4. How does our vision of God’s Realm joining in May. impact what we do as a church community? Discussion Questions: Discussion questions for an individual to 1. Why is it important to ask a person write: with a disability what they need or want? 1. What kind of people scare me, really, 2. What would you do if your child honestly, scare me? asked a person with a disability about 2. Why do they scare me? their disability? 3. What kind of behaviors make me 3. How do you feel when you greet angry? Why? people with disabilities? 4. What do I think the Bible has to say 4. What can you do to make people with about my fears and the things that disabilities feel welcome? make me angry?

3 Bradley’s story: who was bad., who was in, who was out, who was saved, who was going to hell, yet My name is Bradley. I love God and both of us felt something was missing Santa Claus. I like going to church. from our lives. Communion is good. All the food is good. We heard the UCC ad and heard about The first paragraph is what Brad has to the fuss. We thought we would take a say about the congregation I served a few chance and see if church had changed. years ago. The congregation can tell a lot We looked up the nearest UCC church in about Brad’s gifts to God’s church. Brad the phone book and went…..late for lives two houses down from the church in worship. Imagine our surprise when we a group home. He is a 45 year old man discovered that we were in an almost with developmental disabilities. He wears totally African-American church. We a Santa Claus hat all year long because didn’t know what to do, but a nice man “Santa is my favorite, except for God who brought us to a seat, made us welcome, doesn’t wear special hat.” Brad comes to and kindly said “You don’t have to do church for the postlude and coffee hour anything, just look around and see what each Sunday. On Communion Sunday God wants you to do”. he comes for the whole service. The worship was different, but the joy One Sunday a group of folks, including people felt in worship was so real and Brad, were at coffee hour. Someone powerful that I felt things I hadn’t felt asked Brad why he came to the whole since I was a little kid….the last time I service on Communion Sunday. He said truly believed. After worship people were he came “because the food is extra good very, very welcoming. I asked the on those days.” What do you mean, minister if we could come back. He someone asked? “I mean the looked at me as if I were silly and said “of Communion snack is extra good food. course”. You eat it and God goes in you and through you and gives you energy to be Discussion Questions: good like God.” I guess biology and theology do mix if you have a good 1. What would you have done if you teacher like Brad. were in Lannie and Pete’s place? 2. How do think your congregation Discussion Questions: would welcome someone like Lannie and Pete? 1. Do you believe that people with 3. Do churches change when new people disabilities bring gifts to a church? join? 2. When people with disabilities belong 4. How do you talk about the possibility to your church is that a ministry to of change in your congregation? Is people with disabilities or a gift to the change always a good thing? What church? would be gained or lost if diversity 3. There are so many different kinds of occurred? disabilities. How can a church be prepared to welcome everyone? Martin’s story:

Lannie and Pete’s story: I saw the God is still speaking ads on TV. There was a guy in a chair in the ad, I My husband and I live near the military thought what the heck…let’s see if they base where I am stationed. I grew up in a mean it. I went to church and they had a traditional church and my husband’s ramp. They had accessible rest rooms, parents never attended church. Neither too. The church was on one floor so of us had been near church for a long things looked pretty good. time. We hated the way ‘Christian’ was being used to describe who was good and

4 When I came in the usher said why don’t Suggested Uses: sermon illustrations, I sit down front, to the left side, that way newsletter items, discussion group I won’t be in anyone’s way. I said I had starters, children’s sermons. to go home. The guy looked puzzled. Worship Resources Discussion Questions: Call to Worship: 1. What is going on here in Martin’s story? One: God of exquisite beauty, You spin 2. What could the usher have done the universe and weave the planets. You differently? gather the continents and pour out the 3. The church looked accessible. What seas. You call all things into being and was missing? proclaim them ‘good.’ All: Make us to celebrate Your Mariah’s story: creation. One: God of tender care, You reach out Sometimes I think I am a freak. You see, when Your people tear apart all you have I am an African American, same-gender made. You come to us again and again, loving woman who lives with a disability. offering Your healing and reconciliation I grew up in the church, but when I and redemption. You walk the earth as started to not be able to walk, it got one of us, yearning to know and be harder to go. Then, when I came out, known. well, they didn’t want me there, anyway. All: Make us reach back to You, But a little over a year ago, I found this claiming your saving grace. church. And do you know what, ALL of One: God of unimaginable creativity, You me was welcomed. They had just blow through our lives---making new remodeled their sanctuary and put in an what was old and dead. You come to elevator so I could get to every part of the each one of us and to all of us, church. When I opened their bulletin, I challenging our assumptions and our read their statement of inclusion. And fears. You ignite our imaginations and when I had been there for a few weeks, push us towards fullness of life. they asked if I would like to be a part of All: Make us open ourselves to your any of their programs---as a participant Holy Spirit. or as a leader. They inquired about my One: Creating, Saving, Liberating God, interests and skills. They treated me like in our worship and our living, make us to the whole, complex, blessed woman I am. be more like You---extravagantly welcoming and loving all that is yours. When the ads came out, I was so excited Amen. because others need to know what genuine hospitality can be like. Call to Worship:

Discussion Questions: One: In snow and ice, All: Mountains and valley, 1. Is your church really One: In small sanctuaries and in hospitable….what does hospitality searching hearts. mean? All: Amidst joy and heartbreak, 2. Can your church still be hospitable One: God is present. even if it is not fully accessible? All: God is present. 3. Would your congregation see Mariah One: Nothing can separate us from the as a person with a lot of needs or as love of God, just another new person? All: Nothing, 4. Is your church capable of One: And so we welcome and worship EXTRAVAGANT hospitality? Are you? and pray and live, All: In certitude and in gratitude and in praise. Amen

5 Prayer: (Read the first paragraph slowly Make of us a community that genuinely enough to really hear it) seeks to love and worship You. Make of us a Body that truly reflects all You are “GRIM---is the way you feel when you are and love. not sad enough to cry, happy enough to smile, angry enough to scream. It just Bless us with the extravagance and feels like it sounds------grrrimmm!”* hospitality that befits those who bear Your name. Oh, God. The world is filled with your grrrimmm people. Amen. Oh, God. The church, maybe this church, is filled with grrrimmm people, Acknowledging Our Humanness/Confessing people who want to be welcoming as well Our Sin: as welcome, who want to be inclusive and included, who want to belong to You and Holy One, you have come to us in family to your church. and friends, visitors and strangers. You are present in the hymns we sing and the Oh, God. Please God, come to us today words we speak. You move us in our and convince us that Your love is big youth group activities and our coffee enough for everyone. hours. You massage us with choral Oh, God. Please God, help us to anthems and coax us with calls to action. recognize that we all need You and each other….that we are whole only when we And yet we, too often, insist on our own are the Body of Christ. unworthiness. We, too frequently, persist in our unloveableness and the Oh, God. There is so much sadness and unloveableness of others. And we act as emptyness in your people. Please bring if our place is apart from you. us together and fill us so that we may smile, feel that we are one, and be as one Dissuade us, God, of our folly. Persuade in You. us, Holy One, of Your abundant love, that Oh, God. We pray that we may leave our we might love ourselves and ALL of your grrrimmm selves behind and move creation extravagantly and with abandon. forward as Your people, one people who Amen. worship and serve You this day and all the days of our lives. Communion Liturgy: (as used by Spirit of Amen the Lakes UCC, Minneapolis, MN)

• The definition for grrrimmm comes Words of Remembrance from A Smile From Andy, by Nan Holcomb. Turtle Books, Jason & We remember on the night before he was Nordic Publishers, Exton, PA. Andy is killed by those who feared him, Jesus sat a little boy who has cerebral palsy and at table with his friends---women and is too shy to make friends, so, he feels men and children---sharing in the feast grrrimmm. of the Passover, which is the celebration of God’s liberation of God’s people. Prayer: (based on Job 37:14-24) And remembering God’s power, Jesus Holy One, Your vastness, Your creativity, took bread, and after he had given Your wisdom is beyond our wildest thanks and blessed it, he broke it saying, imaginings. Your welcome, Your grace, “This is my work and my life, for you and Your in-love-ness with us exceeds what with you. Take it all of you, and do this our hearts can hold. And we give You remembering me.” thanks and praise that You are our God and we are Your people. After dinner Jesus took the Elijah Cup, the cup that was traditionally reserved

6 for the Holy One to come. But instead of Black, Kathy. Worship Across waiting, Jesus passed it to them as it is Cultures: A Handbook. Nashville, TN. now being passed to us, and he said, Abingdon Press, 1998. “This is the cup of the new covenant. It is the cup of justice and peace poured Blount, Brian K., and Lenora tubs out for all. Drink of it, all of you, and do Tinsdale. Making Room at the Table: An this remembering me. Invitation of Multicultural Worship. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Each time we break bread together, we Press, 2000. participate in the Body of the Risen Christ, for we are the Body of the Risen Rhodes, Stephen, Where the Christ. And each time we share this Nations Meet: the Church in a cup, we participate in the New Multicultural World. Downers Grove, IL: Community, for we are God’s hope for the Intervarsity Press, 1998. New Community. Law, Eric F., Sacred Acts, Holy Resources Change: Faithful Diversity and Practical Transformation, Chalice Press, 2002. Eiesland, Nancy L. The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Claiming the Promise: Biblical Disability. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, Resource on Homosexuality Welcoming 1994 Church Movement, [email protected]. Gaventa, Bill, and David Coulter, eds. Journal of Religion and Disability, Created in God’s Image: A Human and Health. Haworth Press Sexuality Program for Ministry and ([email protected]) Mission www.ucc.org/justice/cigi/index.html. Disabilities Ministries Resource Packet (PLLDM) A collection of materials Law, Eric F., Sacred Acts, Holy to help the local church become Change: Faithful Diversity and Practical accessible to all (A2A) 1-800-537-3394. Transformation, Chalice Press, 2002. Free Any Body, Everybody, Christ’s ONA Study Packet, UCC Coalition Body A congregational study guide for for LGBT Concerns and MA Conference, welcome and inclusion. Congregations UCC., 1997. [email protected]. may commit to become A2A congregation by vote, practice and support of UCC Tigert, Leanne and Brown, Disabilities Ministries. Available through Timothy. Coming Out Young and UCC Resources (1-800-537-3394) after Faithful, Pilgrim Press, 2001. July 10, 2005.

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