A censer swings through the aisles of a new church, the smoke curling through the sun's rays streaming from stained glass windows; and its scent is pleasing to God.
This new church is an institution that people do not fear. It is one they seek because it gives them community peopled by those who welcome the weary, the edgy, the strong, the common, the fearful, the different, the powerful, the broken. All are welcome here.
This church is an institution that people do not hate or fear. It is the natural outcome of community, growing into a stable yet malleable structure that gives a framework for interaction in the journey and celebration of faith. Its doctrine is a magnet, not a weapon, drawing its members through the power of God's unconditional love. It can be trusted with power because it does not demand it.
This new church celebrates diversity as a sign of success. It embraces questions as the means to spiritual growth. It is open to the change that is inevitable over time as new members bring new understanding to its tradition, its culture, its doctrine.
Continue reading "The Incense Of A New Church"...
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