Holy one,
May Your peace surround me,
May Your peace be shown through me,
May Your peace extend throughout the world.
Amen
When I was asked to write an advent message for the KUC affirm blog I didn’t know what to say. I don’t just mean should I do it or not but that I didn’t know what I could say, what I should say. I am married, with children and grandchildren. I am a registered Early Childhood Educator and worked with very young children for a very long time and I felt I didn’t have enough personal life experience with the LGBTQIA2s+ community to comment. However like the prophets of old I thought I heard ‘yes, you’. I am a member of KUC and I am in support of KUC becoming an affirming congregation, so here is my peace dialogue for advent.
My previous United Church of Canada congregation in Winnipeg is an affirming congregation. It became one over twenty years ago. That wasn’t a big change for our church- we still had the same church, same people, same music, same symbols of worship, cross, font, and Bible. The changes were small-rainbows on the outside door, a rainbow banner as you enter the building. We could say we were welcoming to everyone and that this was a congregation that accepted you for yourself, be welcome and worship with us.
My advent hope for peace is that KUC will be a light that shines in the dark so that all who come to KUC will know immediately that they are welcome and this is a place where they may find peace and safety. Our rainbow Christ candles, banners and mission statement will be in evidence and everyone will know that this is a safe place. No one need enter our doors and worry that they will be rejected, hurt or criticized. Without having to say anything it will be easily recognizable that here are the symbols of inclusion and here is peace and safety. I believe that affirming will mean inclusion for absolutely everyone and I know that KUC also hopes for this for anyone wishing to attend and that we are a congregation seeking our Creator’s wholeness, inclusion and justice.
The Advent peace candle and the signs of an affirming congregation show that anyone can safely walk through these doors and be affirmed and welcomed exactly as they are and who they are. The outward visible symbols will show that KUC has made a public, intentional and explicit statement that we support members of the LGBTQIA2s+ and their loved ones. Here there will be acceptance and peace and safety. Really, it is only what we all desire and are striving for- that this church should be a place where we can be loved, accepted and welcomed just as we are, just as God had made us and named us, wholly, beautifully and wondrously.
“Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth, giving the promise of safety and worth”*
The Affirm Leadership Team would like to thank Kathi Campbell for answering the call for a meditation on Peace for our Advent Series.
* "Hope is a Star" - by Brian Wren, Voices United #7
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