I Love My Church

I love my church.

We re-opened today, very carefully, with a lot of rules and procedures that should keep us safe. We are re-opening cautiously and correctly.

Alison and I joined Grace Episcopal Church about 22 years ago.  I have attended Grace more than any other church in my lifetime (I likely passed that mark after the first few years).  When we first moved to Blackshear in March of 1997, we sporadically attended Blackshear Presbyterian, the church Alison attended growing up. The church was nice, but we began to feel uncomfortable as our employer also attended that church and would bring up work while we were attending services.  Now, everybody is different, but I had a phobia (neurotic distaste) for discussing work in a church.  It stems from some childhood incidents that I can enumerate in other posts (and may have if I can find them amidst my 2200 posts).

Neither Alison's father nor mother attended Blackshear Presbyterian any more after their divorce.  Alison's father went to more evangelical churches.  We went to Emmanual Baptist with him a couple of times and found that it did not suit us.  Nuff' said. And we tried Grace Episcopal, where Alison's mother went.

Over time, we fell in love.  We had found our church home.  We went more and more often until we found ourselves members.  People were open and kind to us.  There were many, but Anita and Gene Lynn were particularly special, as were Sarah and David Rollison.  

Alison and I attended the special church event at Honey Creek called Cursillo, a significant spiritual and bonding moment in our lives.  And, in attendance with us, was Benjamin.  Yes, Benjamin is not just a cradle Episcopalian but a womb Episcopalian.  

There are many things I love about my church.  The one I will highlight in this post, something that is very important to me, is the church's diversity and tolerance. This is not only demonstrated in our openness to all communities, including LGBTQ members but in our political diversity.

In most other churches in this area, there would be little to no political diversity.  Virtually all white-majority churches in our area are dominantly Republican-only clubs. They are on the Christian Right and the political right.  In the past, when I ask them if Democrats are welcome or, in their language, "saved," they either outright say no, or look very puzzled and uncomfortable.  The county I live in has little political diversity within the white community, and that is largely because of the over-sized role the Christian Right plays.

Grace is different.  It is one of the few churches in the area (maybe the only church) where the congregation is equally divided.  It's hard to tell.  Sometimes I think the progressives have a thin majority, and at other times I think it is the conservatives.  But I love it.  I love it that we are diverse.

It is so easy to demonize people you don't see.  It's so easy to be arrogant and hateful when you only hear one point of view.

That said, I don't understand people who are willing to vote for Trump.  BUT my church's diversity helps me so those Trump supporters as PEOPLE.  I see their kindness.  I see them doing things to help the church and the disadvantaged in our community. So, it makes it harder just to blindly hate.

I've long felt that people can have different political viewpoints, and as long as they keep the care and support of others in their minds, we can have different ways we think that can be achieved.  Admittedly, support of Trump stretches that hope to the limit.

I cherish our political diversity.  I would not want to go to a church that didn't have that.  We learn so much from each other.

As open as our church is, the division on social media is beginning to strain at us.  Too many church members are engaging each other in ways that re not healthy.

To the extent that I have contributed to that, I apologize.

I strive my hardest to express my political opinions strongly, without compromise.  But I strive to never make them personal.  I have general complaints about those who may take positions that I believe are detrimental to our future and our democracy, but I do not make my attacks personal to one person.

I do not, church member or not, individually question anyone's intelligence or faith.

I do not say things like, "I thought you were more intelligent than that" or "when did you, my friend/fellow church member, become so hateful?"

I'm not perfect.  I have fallen short at times. It's a rough political season.  But I will redouble my efforts to be civil WHILE AT THE SAME TIME be clear about my opposition to Trump and his policies.  

Political divisions run deep.  But, thanks to my church, I can see that there is decency and love in many.

I love politics, but I love my church more.  I am looking forward to the time when the election is over, and maybe, just maybe, we can argue about the best way forward to cover all those in need of health care, food, and shelter, and less time around the character defects of our leaders, and our slide towards authoritarian fascism.

P.S.

Our first service went very well.  Around two dozen parishioners participated and did so wearing masks, socially distancing, and following all protocols. It was a joy to be back!

P.P.S.

Yes, the picture above is from pre-COVID times.