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Dear Saint Mark Family,
I pray you are well and have been staying warm.
This Sunday, we will sing “All Are Welcome” for our Hymn of Praise. This is a beloved song of Saint Mark, and carries the message that we have so long profess. The opening verse says:
Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live.
A place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive.
Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace. Here the love of Christ shall end divisions.
All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.
When we sing, I want each of us to consider earnestly how can we take seriously, and practice, this message of “all are welcome” in every aspect of our lives. I want us to think about where we have not been welcoming to others - both individually and collectively, where we have not made room for the persons we encounter in our everyday lives, and where we have not shown the grace, compassion, and mercy of God to others, as has been shown to us. I want us to consider seriously if we have been practicing this radical message of “all are welcome,” and what we may need to do differently to ensure this be true in our every action.
I imagine by now you have heard of the legislations that have been passed by the incoming administration, and how they will negatively impact the lives of so many persons across the country. I know that many persons are angry and saddened by the laws. I have seen some of the social media posts.
I want to remind each of us, however, that we can “be the difference we want to see in the world.” While we may not be able to change the laws, we can do something about being compassionate to those who are affected by these laws. We can be intentional about making the time and space for those who are affected. We may not have the all the answers of what we should do, but we can begin by being compassionate. We can begin by being witnesses of this message that “all are welcome.”
As we go forward into the rest of the year, and even beyond, I pray this message will become one of our spiritual practices, and we will let others know they are welcome.
Peace and all that is good,
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