Inclusion:
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I
am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people’”
(Luke 2:10). The good news of Jesus Christ is for all people. In Jesus, we
are called into community where our diversities are welcomed, celebrated,
and no longer the source of division and hostility (Galatians 3:27-29).
Race, gender, nationality, class, sexual orientation, gender identity
or expression, ability, or other aspects of our God-given humanity are
meant to be celebrated and will never be used as a barrier to full
participation in Westminster’s worship, ministry, and service.
Justice:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to
bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the
captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Knowing
that God has made us all one in Jesus, we must actively resist the powers
of the world that seek to divide us. Racism, including white supremacy,
sexism, nationalism, classism, heterosexism, and ableism are
systems of power that oppress people and hold us captive. They have no
place in the Church or in the rest of society, and we are committed to
resisting these powers wherever we encounter them, until justice flows
down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24).
Service:
“Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love
me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know
that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs’”
(John 21:15). Jesus calls us to love him by loving and caring for our
neighbors. Throughout his ministry, Jesus attended to the physical and
spiritual needs of people by feeding them, healing them, and teaching them. The Spirit gives us each different gifts and calls us to use those gifts in
love to serve our neighbors (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Learning:
“And a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son;
listen to him’” (Mark 9:7). With Jesus as our teacher, we are
called to love God with hearts, souls, and minds and to serve as witnesses
to the good news of Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:37). As we learn from and
with each other, through worship, study, and fellowship, we grow in faith
and love.
Community:
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one
place” (Acts 2:1). From the founding of the church, the followers of
Jesus were called into community. Jesus calls
individuals to follow, but never to follow him alone (I Corinthians 12:14). We are called to live in community with each other, recognizing our
interconnectedness and mutual responsibility to support and learn from
each other.
Following the risen Christ, and seeking to make the Church a true
community of hospitality, the mission of More Light Presbyterians is
to work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people of
faith in the life, ministry, and witness of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) and in society.
This class studies the Bible as well as current events. There is always lively discussion.
