I wrote what follows for the bulletin. I’m reprinting it here for those of you who won’t be able to be in church on Sunday.

In case you didn’t see the ad in the Reflector-Chronicle, a copy appears directly below [here on the blog, it’s two posts down]. What Jenny and I have heard over and over again from the members of this church of all theological stripes and persuasions is that you are a church that welcomes everyone. While the recent 2019 General Conference and the negative (and often misleading) headlines it generated prompted our running the ad, the ad was not just for LGBTQ+ folks. It was for everyone who has ever doubted whether or not they would be welcome at a church. That includes a lot of people. Those of us who have always felt comfortable in church can easily underestimate how intense the fear of rejection can be for someone attending for their first time. You all do your best to welcome everyone. Jenny and I love that about you.