God delights in who we are

There is deep and abiding joy in being a church that welcomes all—a church that truly means it; a place where every person, no matter their background, story, or identity, is seen as a beloved child of God.  Inclusion isn’t just something we do—it’s who we are.  It’s the joy of shared laughter around the table, of voices raised together in song, of knowing that our community is enriched by diversity, not threatened by it. We believe God delights in who we are, just as we are—and that is a beautiful, holy truth.  To be inclusive is to live into the Gospel, where love has no qualifiers or disqualifiers and grace is never gated.

At the start of this Pride Month, I want to take a moment to share what it has meant for Liz and me that you, as part of Willits United Methodist Church, chose years ago to become a Reconciling Ministry.  That choice matters deeply. And even more than the label, what has truly mattered is how we were welcomed in—fully, warmly, without hesitation. In full confession, because of previous experiences, we waited for the look the comment, even a microaggression—but it never came. And now, we’ve stopped waiting, because you mean what you say. And we thank you. I am so grateful this was who you were, and who you are, and that God has paired us together.

As a Methodist, I know what it means to be a Reconciling Church.  But not all Methodists do—and I’d wager many outside the Methodist world don’t know either.  So, while we as a church, affirm and support our LGBTQ+ siblings joyfully and intentionally, the question is:  how do we make that visible? How do we show our community—not just in word, but in action—that love lives here? That identities are honored here? That this is a place of safety, healing, and hope? We must continue to ask, how are we extending the invitation—and how are we embodying it in everything we do?

Pastor Jaime Rogers-Fairchild