Welcoming Out Loud
Rev. Jeanne Randall-Bodman
Before I came to Kairos I served as Pastor for Children Youth and Families at another local UCC church. When I was describing my work to a new non-church going friend she said: “Oh, our jobs have one thing in common, we both have to recruit a lot of volunteers.”
On the one hand, yes. In that job I got to invite people to teach Sunday school; sew costumes for the annual Christmas pageant, supervise the youth group, mentor a confirmand; chaperone a week-long service trip. And it is true that those people were not paid for their participation. But I never thought of them as “volunteers” — I thought of them as church members living out their faith with generosity and spirit. As part of the “gathered people” that make up a congregation.
When the Kairos council met for a retreat last month we began by reflecting on all the things we are currently doing as a gathered community that fill us with energy and inspiration. The list was long and included:
Our music team and choir
Our advocacy team
Delicious coffee hours — with options so everyone can eat
Worship with inclusive language and thoughtful preaching
Our excellent use of Zoom for worship (hats off to Lee!)
Welcoming all people
People stepping up when needed and using their skills…
We wondered if there was anything we could let go of, or anything we could shift or enhance to strengthen our ministry. We had some good ideas about communications, remembering to ask for help when it is needed, streamlining building use, sharing responsibility for coffee our — and the ministry teams will continue those conversations.
We shared the hopes and dreams we have for our small, vital congregation. Those dreams included:
Finding ways to communicate the family feeling we enjoy at church to others
Offering spaces for folks who are deconstructing the tradition they received and reconstructing their spiritual lives
Becoming aware of and genuinely welcoming to people who are neurodivergent
Continue being theologically open and supportive
Our rallying cry for the coming year is to continue all the ways we are already welcoming and to find ever more thoughtful and courageous ways to be welcoming out loud. Welcoming to everyone who comes to our doors. Welcoming to everyone we think might find joy and hope inside our building — people who have never yet heard of the UCC and have yet to find our hidden, holy place. To use our voices, our technology, and our creativity to spread the word that God is still speaking — and here it is safe to listen and share what you have heard.