Beginning my story...

I have just read Brian McLaren's books "A new kind of Christian" and "The story we find ourselves in". Amazing stuff! The thing which struck me most was how what we believe and what we think inevitably shows in our actions and our priorities. Truly, actions speak louder than words, and they show what we really think, regardless of what we say.

Ever since becoming a Christian (about ten years ago now) I have noticed this in a subliminal way. The first university student Christian group I joined, I was (more or less) kicked out of for not behaving correctly. It was not really a question of belief, since at that time I believed the correct things, but I wasn't able to conform completely and so there was no place for me. At the time I accepted this and moved on, but now I wonder about a group which taught so much about grace and acceptance of people where they are, yet was so strict about going through the program and giving the "right answers" to everything.

I think my current church is much better at this. We have a whole range of people at Solace, and we don't require conformity but everyone can still be a member. This is getting us into trouble with our larger church, which is very sad. I thought there was more grace, more forgiveness, more understanding in the larger church, and I am sorrowful and disillusioned to find that this is not the case. On the other hand, I can of course understand the need to stand firm on points which are perceived to be "non-negotiable". I certainly would not want anyone to compromise what they see as essential, nor to water down their own faith - that would be deception and not of benefit to anyone in the long run.

So as we move on, I hope that we will continue to be open and forgiving to our future members as we are now. I pray that we will remember this, our beginning, was precipitated by our acceptance of difference within our body. I hope this will continue to be our characteristic feature, and that we will not in some future time become the very rigidity we are leaving behind. I hope and pray that God will give us more grace, as much as we need to continue to be his love, his peace, his acceptance to those around and within us, wherever we are.