A Welcoming Place
John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
I have been blessed to visit my native homeland, Scotland, three times in my life. The first time was a mini sabbatical on my own. The second trip was with some folks from the Ashland church as a graduation present to our daughter, Abigail, and the third was with my wife, Paula. All three were incredible trips, and each time I have traveled across the pond, I have felt welcomed and somehow “at home.” That feeling was especially true during my first visit, when I found a small chapel on the island of Iona dating back to the 12th century, where the Mac Donnell clan leaders were laid to rest. I remember going in one day by myself, sitting in silence, and letting my ancestors know I was there. I also felt that sense of home and welcome when I found the very castle my clan lived in for centuries, Raven’s Rock, “Creag an fhithitch” in Gaelic. Sadly, it is in ruins now, but I remember exploring those ruins, speaking my clan's saying aloud (Per Mare Per Terras - By sea and land) and feeling at home in a historical sense. That was a profound experience for me, as I felt an ancestral embrace of welcome!
There was one moment, however, when I felt EXTREMELY unwelcome during my first visit to Scotland. After almost two weeks in the country, I was wrapping up my trip in Edinburgh, a beautiful city where most of the people I met were very welcoming. The first night there, I walked from my hotel down to a main street, looking for a good pub for a beer and some yummy food. After a bit of exploring, I found a small pub and thought I would have an authentic pub experience as a great way to end my trip.
As I walked through the door, there were around 10-12 people in the pub, all speaking with one another. When they saw me, there was an initial silence, and I felt a bit uncomfortable. Conversation picked back up again, but no one looked at me as I went to the bar to order some food and a brew. The barmaid went from behind the bar to waiting on tables, then back to the kitchen, while I waited, and waited, and waited to place an order. She kept going back and forth, ignoring me, just like the other patrons. After a good 10 minutes of being ignored, I said out loud, “Well, this is weird!” Then I turned around and walked out. That pub was NOT a welcoming place; for reasons I do not understand, I was labeled an unwelcome outsider. It was not a pleasant ending to my first trip across the pond.
Unlike that pub in Edinburgh, our church wants to be a welcoming space for all (as does the Central Point Presbyterian Church). As the rainbow appears before us this morning, proclaiming the message “God Welcomes All!” how might we do our best to follow it? How do we avoid becoming isolated little cliques where only certain people are welcome? (In case anyone from that pub in Edinburgh is watching this morning, YES, I am talking about you!)
This wooden rainbow sign has been used off and on when we have put together a float for the Pride parade, and it welcomes worshipers every Sunday as they enter our church narthex. A welcoming and affirming church lives out Jesus’ command to love one another as He loved us, making Christ’s love visible in our community. In a world often divided and hostile, the church’s witness is most powerful when it is a place where all people are welcomed, affirmed, and loved. A welcoming, affirming church is not just a building or a program; it is a community that embodies Christ’s sacrificial, inclusive love, reflecting God’s heart and drawing others to faith. It is a community that is fully grounded in Christ’s love. So this morning, we will look at two passages which define that love and consider ways we might improve our welcome to all people.
First, we will dive into this passage in John’s gospel. Here Jesus, at the Last Supper, gave the disciples a new commandment- to love one another as Jesus loved us- and said this love would identify his disciples in the world. Consider the language Jesus uses here. By calling this statement a new commandment, he elevates love above all other commands, making it the defining call of his followers. What kind of love is this?
The Greek word in this passage is ἀγαπάω - agapaó: To love
Meaning-1. to love (in a social or moral sense) chiefly of the heart (wholehearted, unconditional, devoted). This love’s perfect example is of God’s love for us, which is also wholehearted, unconditional, and devoted.
Then Jesus adds another layer to this kind of love when he says, “As I have loved you.” He means a sacrificial, unconditional love, not based on feelings but on deliberate action.
You may think this command to love one another is in danger of creating an enclosed “Pub in Edinburgh” community, insular and uninterested in welcoming newcomers. Nothing could be further from the truth. If we are grounded in God’s unconditional love and in Christ’s sacrificial love for people who come through our doors, the natural progression of that love is to extend it beyond our sanctuary doors and welcome others. Theologian Brian Peterson writes, “Mutual love within the church is not an alternative to love for neighbors outside the community but is the foundation for such love. The command to love one another is given with an eye on the rest of the world: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
If our church community is fully grounded in this kind of agape love, those who come through our doors or who watch us on screen will know we are Christ’s disciples by how we love and welcome others.
We can further define the love Christ talks about in the famous and often-used passage in 1st Corinthians 13 for weddings. There are three parts to the kind of love Paul describes.
Love’s Nature – 1 Corinthians 13 describes love as patient, kind, humble, and selfless — qualities that welcome and affirm others.
Love’s Evidence – True love shows in how we treat the marginalized, the struggling, and the different; it is visible in our welcome and affirmation
Love’s Purpose – Love is not self-serving; it seeks the good of others, builds up the body of Christ, and points to Christ.
How then do we demonstrate this kind of love as a church? How do we take on the mantle of being a welcoming place?
Welcome All – Open our doors and hearts to everyone, regardless of background, belief, or income status, reflecting God’s inclusiveness. Here are some ways to do just that:
Get Those Sanctuary Doors OPEN! It can be difficult for people to show up at any church and walk through those doors for the first time. Unless it is snowing, our doors should be open on Sunday mornings before the service begins.
Introduce Yourself First. Members should take the initiative to greet guests, share a brief introduction, and ask a simple question about their week.
Make Space for New Faces. Actively open seating clusters, greet those standing alone, and invite newcomers to join in conversation. A simple “Would you like to sit with us?” can transform a nervous arrival into a hopeful one.
Give Clear, Friendly Directions. Offer warm, specific guidance to new visitors on where to find restrooms, coffee, and other facilities, reducing anxiety and helping them settle in.
Watch for the Awkward Moments. When someone comes through our doors, don’t assume they are familiar with our worship style. Notice and gently guide people through moments like passing the peace of Christ, singing hymns, or taking the elements of communion, ensuring no one feels lost or isolated.
Notice Newcomers After the Service. Invite folks to fellowship. Stay engaged with guests in the sanctuary or narthex for a few minutes to create a sense of ongoing community beyond worship.
Affirm Others – Speak and act in ways that honor, validate, and uplift each person, as Christ affirms and loves all people. With Pride weekend here, affirming those in the LGBTQ+ community is a tangible way to show God’s love. Here are some ways to do that.
Proclaim Our Welcome Publicly. Having our welcome rainbow sign in the narthex and marching in the Pride parade are but two examples for our congregation. There is more we can do. We could include a clear welcome statement in our bulletins, on our websites, and in local outreach, and advertise in LGBTQ‑friendly publications. We can ensure LGBTQ+ members and friends are invited to serve in leadership, ministry, and sacraments on equal terms, without holding them to different standards, as our denomination used to do.
Engage in Open, Ongoing Dialogue. Create safe spaces for honest conversation about inclusion, invite questions, and listen to LGBTQ+ individuals and allies to deepen understanding. When someone from the LGBTQ+ community comes through these doors, see them as God sees them, as God sees all of us. Two statements to guide us:
First, Queer theologian Jenna DeWitt writes, “I am not lacking, nor am I an issue to debate. I do not need pity, nor am I sick or broken or afraid of love. I am a manifestation of Love’s complex divine revelation, making visible what would otherwise be erased in the billion refractions of rainbow light.”
Second, Trans Femme genderqueer digital chaplain Bonnie Violet said, “Don’t pray for me not to be trans. Don’t pray for me not to be gay. Pray for me to get closer to God.” Queer people of faith have always existed, exist now, and will continue to exist well into the future. Affirmation, love, and acceptance will go a long way in helping us be seen as a welcoming place for all people.
These are some ways we can be seen as a welcoming place. These steps combine relational habits, public commitment, and structural inclusion, helping us not only open our doors but also affirm the full participation and dignity of all people. A welcoming and affirming church is a living witness to Christ’s love — a place where people are not just invited in, but embraced and valued.
Mother Teresa once said, “The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but many more dying for a little love…There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.”
Let us commit to love one another as God and Jesus love us, so that anyone who comes through our doors feels and is embraced by that love, for God welcomes all, strangers and friends. God’s love is strong, and it never ends. Alleluia! Amen.
