A few years ago I was in a worship service singing the song "All Are Welcome" by Marty Haugen in our new hymnal "Community of Christ Sings." Check out this video by Chris Brunelle if you haven't heard it. It's a beautiful song singing about the worth of all people and how everyone is invited into this space. I understood the message of the song as I read the words and sang along. However it didn't really resonate with me until my youngest son, who was two at the time, starting singing "All Welcome" days later. Even though his language skills were not developed enough for him to say the entire phrase I knew this is what God's love is all about. At two years old he got it! All are Welcome in this Place! Accepting people for who they are! Creating authentic relationships with others that uphold their worth! It also made me realize the power of the messages we give our children even in the earliest of days. At two years old my son is hearing a collective voice singing the words "Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live" and "All Are Welcome." I can only imagine how this message and others will impact his worldview and interactions with others as he gets older. Our language is a major piece of welcoming others. The words we choose can be powerful and impact others in both positive and negative ways. What messages are you sending with your conversations? How has the language in your environment shaped who you are and how you see the world? In what ways is your language welcoming others into relationship with you and the God you know? Language Impacts Thought Processes In an article by Alan Yu with NPR titled "How Language Seems to Shape One's View of the World" he describes how the differences in language can change how we see the world. Language influences how we think and what we look for in interactions. You can also check out this TED Talk by Lera Boroditsky who reiterates similar findings of Mr. Yu in further depth. Enjoy! Welcoming Language Welkom, Bienvenue, Salve, Velkommen, Afio mai, Maeva, Bienvenido! This is just many ways to say welcome in other languages. Check out the translation of the word Welcome in other languages at Omniglot.com. How we use our language can help others feel welcome. However its important to remember hospitality is more than just our language but also the messages we send in all aspects of our lives. Here are some specific ways to be more welcoming and inclusive with our language. 1. Smile - Welcoming starts with our facial expressions. Non-verbal body language makes up most of our communication. If we greet each person with a smile we immediately send warmth and comfort. 2. Be Person Centered - Genuinely focus on the person by asking questions and getting to know them. Many people like to talk about who they are and what they are doing. Be active listeners allowing them to openly share and be thankful for them talking with you. 3. Avoid Excluding Others - Avoid using expressions or words that may exclude others or certain groups. This allows others to feel welcome and open to express their true thoughts and opinions. This can be done by using words such as we, us, or ours to evoke commonality. 4. Be Gender Neutral - This allows people to interpret the information in their worldview. In church settings God is often depicted as a father/ man though many people have had poor relationships with their father or other men. Using gender neutral language to express the divine gives others the opportunity to further their relationship in how they see fit. 5. Speak Common Language - Sometimes certain groups have acronyms, slang, or language which is used that others do not know. It's welcoming if we explain the language to those outside of those groups or to avoid the the use of them all together if we know there are outsiders there. Language and Spirituality What we say about our lives both personally and spiritually makes a huge difference! When we surround ourselves with welcoming language and intentionally focusing on making others feel included than as a by product we become more welcoming. In contrast when we are in groups that exclude others or limit various groups abilities we are as well impacted. Church in particular can be a vital place for welcoming language to develop. Prayers, liturgies, responses, sacraments, singing, sermons, etc. all use language as a way to connect us spiritually with the divine. Many times it is through our words that we communicate with God. I know the hymnal referenced above was intentionally put together using peaceful and inclusive language. Language can be a spiritual guide helping us construct how our relationship with the divine is developing and maturing. However I want to acknowledge that many have not felt welcomed, safe, or included at churches. I believe it is important for churches to use language and act in ways that welcome all people, stand up for the equal rights of others, and give opportunity for anyone to serve in any role. For all those searching and questioning, I hope you will find that welcoming community to further your spiritual journey. How do you speak about your spiritual life and church? What language do you use to welcome and accept others? What spiritual practices or religious traditions evoke welcoming language? What does the phrase "All Are Welcome" truly mean? It is my pleasure to be able to write something that may be beneficial to you or others. I know it can be uncomfortable to comment but I welcome any and all thoughts to this article or the questions above. This week please reflect on the language you use to welcome others.
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In elementary school I had a classmate who often had lice, smelled like smoke, and ate as much as he could at school because he didn't have much at home. One year he invited everyone in my class to his birthday party. Some of my classmates stated they were not going which left me on the fence on whether I wanted to attend. I went home and told my mother about the party. She talked with me about my friends not going and the concerns that were present in that home. During the discussion my mother insisted that I attend because it was the right thing to do. My mother made sure there was supervision and took me on the day of the party. I arrived at the smoky, run down house, finding only one other classmate who had come. The three of us stood next to end tables layered with used lottery cards and an old gaming system because every seat was piled high with objects. As we waited for others to show, I could see the disappointment on my classmate's face when he realized only two of us were coming. At that moment I knew why this was the right thing to do. I realized that my presence by just showing up created value for someone else. We all sat on the floor and began playing video games which we did most of the afternoon. We eventually ate cake and ice cream before it was time to go. My classmate smiled and thanked us for coming. From this experience I learned the importance of valuing other people despite circumstances and factors that are different than my own. Everyone needs to be shown they have worth. It may happen through openly listening to them, giving them a hug, or even showing up to a birthday party. We are all different people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Many times our fears stop our ability to love. However when we embrace diversity we embrace the beauty of creation. Let's look a little bit closer at Human Diversity and what it means for our own personal and spiritual development. Affirmation of Human Diversity In 1992 a World Conference Resolution was passed to provide an Affirmation of Human Diversity. I wanted to share this beautifully written statement with you. I believe this statement personifies the direction the Community of Christ has taken the last 26 years. "The gospel of Jesus Christ reveals the unqualified love of God and the inestimable worth of all people. An awareness of God’s love and of the love of others is essential to human fulfillment. For these reasons, we celebrate the rich diversity of human life. However, human beings often fear, hate, and abuse each other because of ignorance about such factors as socioeconomic status, culture, race, gender, age, size, sexual orientation, and mental or physical disability. Such prejudicial behavior undermines the personal and spiritual development of both abuser and abused and denies the mutual benefits of shared giftedness. As people of faith, we confess our own imperfections in attitude and action. Nevertheless, we accept the responsibility to resist fear and hate in all forms and to strive continuously to eliminate expressions of prejudice and discrimination. We declare our belief that “all are called according to the gifts of God to them.” We therefore acknowledge and affirm human diversity by creating a spirit of openness and peace within our congregations where all people may find acceptance and the opportunity to share their giftedness. We commit ourselves to work with all people of goodwill to promote mutual respect, appreciation, and peace in all relationships." What would it mean for you to commit to this statement? What changes would you need to make? Definitions of Diversity? It seems there is a difference between what Millennials and Baby Boomers see as diversity. The article "Millennials have a Different Definition of Diversity and Inclusion" by Lydia Dishman describes this. It appears Baby Boomers see diversity as the right thing to do for equality purposes while Millennials see it as necessary to be successful. So what does diversity mean to you? Is it one or the other, something different, or possibly both. If you want to read up on how diverse companies see more financial success look at this article titled "Why Diversity Matters." Diversity Grows Spirituality Factors such as socioeconomic status, culture, race, gender, age, size, sexual orientation, and mental or physical disability have a lot to teach us if we are willing to listen. Hearing from others with these unique perspectives can prompt self-examination and reflection, ultimately deepening our own spirituality. Diverse voices give us a broader perspective on who God is in this world instead of who he is in mine. This can sometimes challenge our theological idea of who God is. We might ask ourselves why do I believe what I believe now that I know this? All of these questions can deepen our faith and spirituality because we are openly seeking answers. Exploring other religious experiences or expressions can also be rewarding. We become exposed to traditions and practices that are unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable to us. However the process is usually rich and authentic. It can help us gain appreciation for the vast differences in religious/ spiritual expression and specifically in our own. This does not mean we have to change our personal beliefs or adopt a variety of perspectives. It just means we respect others decisions and expressions. This process of showing respect and kindness to other spiritual expressions and experience is called spiritual diversity. Let yourself welcome diversity into your life! Embrace it and open yourself up to what it has to teach you. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter so you get all of our new posts! This week listen to someone who is different than you.
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Please Note The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Community of Christ. We believe individuals should be allowed to have their own opinions and be at different places in their faith journey.
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