I used to attend a church mainly populated by Gay people. I wanted to feel more comfortable in this milieu where I could be open about my Gayness and not feel that I either had to hite it oor else worry about someone call me an “abomination.” I remember taking a friend of mine there who (as far as I knew) was straight and belonged to a tradition that was associated with evangelicalism. The church I was attending at the time was similar to my current Episcoapl chruch in that we hasd a traditional liturgy, hymns, Communion, etc,. However, this was a church that made itself clear that Gay peopole were welcome just as we are and that we are not committing a “sin” by loving each other. and expressing that love for each other. At any rate, I hadn't told my friend that this was a church mostly attended by Gay people. She was a bit perturbed, saying, “why didn't you tell me what “type” of type of church this is?” But I did get the impression that she had learned something by seeing Gays as just ordinary peple worhsiphing God and Christ.

Fast-forward a few years. I've become acquainted with some Japaense Christian people who have reached out toward the Japanese people who are part of the Burakumin, former Outcaste groups. There is tstill prejudice against these “outcastes” who are mostly descendants of feudal-period groups consigned to the margins of their feudal society. One of the ministers, a Burakumin (descended from the feudal-period outcastes) recounted about how, when he became a ministerr, he had been told by members of his congregation not to reqachh out to “those people,” we don't want to be “that sort of church.” NeDo I need to say that he ignored this advice, as it would mean not reaching out toward his own people? I've read that these sorts of sutuations have occurrred in India when Dalits (former “untouchab
les” ) are invited to worship.

It's interesting how far flung many of thes smilar sorts of problems, prejudices actually, separate people within churches and between churches. One of the Burakumin groups recently ran a series of discussions about eliminating homophobia and anti-Gay discrimination and reaching out toward Gays. So I think that there is hope in all of this.

In some ways I think the answer is nothing more than an examination of why we resist God's invitations for us to be anything other than what we are; or why we resist laying down our own lives so we might find them.

The journey to another is one discipline which helps position this lifelong journey of laying down these old lives so we might be known by God.

On a corporate level, the journey is not so much that all whom are different might become one by coming together; but that we might better walk out a discipline with each other, in love, thru which Christ's life is made manifest; we become less and he becomes more; and an aroma of the reconciling work of God arises from the pathway being shared by many of all hues, shapes, languages, etc.

I appreciate your highlighting that how this journey with others takes shape in our lives and communities can look a million different ways.