“The Liberal Church:

Where All Are Welcomed and Affirmed”

I Peter 3:8-11 See Also I Corinthians 1:25-30

First Sunday in Lent + March 1, 2009

Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ

400 Glenwood Drive

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37404

Rev. David Brown

Have you ever gone some place and after you arrived you realized you weren’t welcome there? It had nothing to do with who you were but everything to do with what you were. The other people at this place clearly saw you as “different” in some way that they found objectionable. They didn’t want you there and subtly or clearly they let you know that you were not welcome.

I confess that for myself that has been a very rare experience and I am sure you understand why: I am White, male, straight, educated, middle-class. Most of the world thinks this is acceptable, even admirable. Frankly, I had little to do with it. It was largely by accident of birth that I am what I am.

But I do remember very clearly one moment when I did not feel welcomed and accepted. I was a summer student at the University of Bonn, Germany. One of my Kalamazoo College classmates and I decided to go to a large public pool. She was Jewish and I believe she was wearing a small gold Star of David necklace. While we were sunning ourselves, a group of German young men started to make remarks about us. Though my friend and I were speaking English to one another we had been studying German and had a pretty good idea of what was being said. The young Germans said something to the effect: “Look at those “verdamnte” Americans. They’re trying to take over our pool.” And then they went on to say some coarse things about my girl, including cracks about her being Jewish. I told them to leave us alone (in German) but that only made them more upset. Then they began to throw small stones at us and we decided to leave.

As I said a moment ago, because of what I am this was a very rare experience in my life. I suspect that is true for most of the white, straight people here this morning. But for some of you here today – people of color, gay or lesbian people, women – the feeling of being unwelcome, unwanted, unaccepted has not been a rare experience. You remember very well times of humiliation and rejection. Perhaps you were taught by your family or came to realize for yourself that you had better not go some places. Or if you went, you had better disguise what you were – if you could – so as to “pass.” But even if you did, there must have been a longing inside to find a place where you could be you – the way God made you – a place you would be welcomed and accepted and affirmed by everyone who was there.

The one place where you might have hoped to find that welcome and acceptance was often neither open nor affirming. Though there were wonderful exceptions, most churches, until quite recently, reflected the bigotry, the prejudice, the narrow exclusiveness of the communities where they were. If you were “different” from their accepted norm, you soon became aware this was not a place where you were welcome. You could only attend if you hid your true nature. The Family of Christ that was meant to open its doors, its arms, its hearts to all, was shut and cold and dismissive. While most churches have some sort of sign outside their building – “All Are Welcome” – it would have been more honest if that sign had read – “Not All are Welcome.”

In the midst of this sea of unwelcome, Liberal Churches such as Pilgrim have been trying to do a very different thing. Pilgrim Church was the first church in Chattanooga – so far as I know – to welcome people of color not just to worship with us but also to join the church. We have Arnold Slater and other courageous leaders and members of Pilgrim to thank for that. Then, a little later, under the leadership of John Mingus and other courageous leaders and members of Pilgrim, we not only welcomed gay and lesbian people to worship at Pilgrim and join the church, we also decided that no one here would have to hide their sexual orientation. We believe God loves and accepts and affirms homosexual people in exactly the same way as heterosexual people and so should we. Along the way, this Liberal Church also affirmed its welcome and affirmation of women in all parts of our church’s life. Women are not second-class citizens or second-class members. I also want to say we believe that there is no “party line” of correct theological or social or political opinion here at Pilgrim. Though I suspect that because of what we are, most members of Pilgrim are “Liberal” in their points of view about things religious or political or social, I hope we are also open and accepting and affirming of people who may disagree with that Liberal attitude. Isn’t that what being “Liberal” means? All – without exception – are welcome here. Your race, religious background, gender, sexual orientation, ability or disability, religious background, political opinion, nationality don’t matter here.

I mentioned at last Wednesday evening’s service that I am a big fan of old-time movies. Lest I leave the impression that I am a hopeless antiquarian, let me mention a recent movie: “Chocolat.” The story is as simple as it is powerful. A young mother, Vianne Rocher – what in this country we would call a “drifter” – arrives in the winter of 1959 in the tranquil French village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in Burgundy. Together with her daughter she opens a small chocolate shop. The problem is that she decides to open the shop during Lent which is supposed to be a time of self-denial. This shocks the devout and traditional church people.

I won’t tell you all the movie’s story but let me say that the chocolates that Vianne makes have a magical, aphrodisiacal power which brings renewed love to many who buy them. The devout village mayor, Comte Paul de Reynaud, sees Vianne as an immoral provocateur and he does everything he can to get her expelled from the village. The climax of the film comes on Easter Sunday when the village priest, Pere Henri, preaches a moving sermon urging the welcome and acceptance not only of Vianne and her daughter, but of all people. His sermon contains these wonderful words: “Let us not be measured by whom we resist or whom we exclude but rather by whom we embrace and whom we include.”

Isn’t that a great motto for any church? “We do not want to be measured by whom we resist or whom we exclude but rather by whom we embrace and whom we include.” That is the radical welcome and affirmation which we as a Liberal Church try to live out in this place. We do not pretend to ourselves or others that we always live up to this, our best intention, but it continues to be the shining goal toward which we strive. We symbolize it by the Communion we shall soon share. All are welcome at this Table because it is not our Table but God’s and God turns no one away. This is the Meal that makes us whole and makes us one. We come to this Table not because we must but because we may and we come promising that we want God to transform and renew our lives. This is our calling and that will be our blessing.