I wanted to share a quick story about someone I met a couple of weeks ago. A woman was sitting on the back row with her daughter and this was the first time they had been to St. John’s. I introduced myself and greeted them warmly, asking them about what brought them to our community of faith that day.

The mother told me that her daughter had felt dissatisfied with churches she had gone to in the past. That they made her feel bad for who she was and especially for who she loved. We only talked briefly as service was starting, but after it was all over, I went to the back and talked to the mother again.

She had tears in her eyes. Tears because she found a place that not only her daughter was accepted and loved for who she was but that she, as a straight woman, felt that same love and acceptance from all of us as well. She said she loved the music, the friendly people, the communion, the preaching, in a nutshell everything!

I hugged her and told her what so many of us entering the doors of St. John’s (including myself) were told... “Welcome home.”

- Richard Hass, Deacon and Co-Lead,
Ministry of Worship and Celebration