All Are Welcome!

Can you imagine the leaders of your church all agreeing to post a letter like this?

We can hope!

Father Glen, Church of the Good Shepherd in Erie, PA writes:

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, confused, filthy rich, comfortable or dirt poor. We welcome those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rake or could afford to lose a few pounds. We welcome you if you can sing like Pavarotti or can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re ‘just browsing,’ just woke up or just got out of prison. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope or haven’t been in church since little Ashley’s baptism.

We extend a welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome yoga moms, 5K dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like ‘organized religion.’ We’ve been there too!

If you blew all your money at the casino, you’re welcome here. We offer a welcome to those who think the earth is flat, ‘work too hard,’ don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.

We welcome those who are inked or pierced or both. Accept our welcome if you could use a prayer right about now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid, or got lost on Interstate 80 and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts….and you!