Those words from Paul are very familiar, aren’t they? Paul writes the shiny new church in Corinth in a time when community life was complicated inside and outside the church, with internal and external tension putting pressure on this fledgling congregation. People are comparing gifts, questioning who belongs, and wondering who holds the most worth. Paul comes in, not with a checklist or handbook, but with this image:
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
I know, it’s a familiar image for many, one that we’ve heard so many times that the meaning has dulled or become cliché. It’s important to know that Paul isn’t telling the Corinthian church about some far-off perfect community of faith who have it all together. He is talking about what a regular congregation (like theirs) look like: diverse in thought and ability, sometimes awkward and sometimes eloquent, occasionally frustrating and often joyful, and deeply connected. The church is one body, many members but it is NOT homogenous collective – thanks be to God. The richness and depth of a community of faith comes from its diversity, not its sameness.
Here at Westworth we have two value statements that reflect the essence of what Paul is talking about – our values state that we honour human diversity and we build community. Underlying these two statements is the question: what kind of community do WE want to be? Since the first gathering of the faithful Westworthians, these values have been reflected in a variety of ways. From the building of this church to the intentional work of becoming Affirming, these values of community and diversity have been present in our past and will be as we move forward into our future.
What do these values mean to how we live our collective ministry and life? We say that we honour human diversity – this isn’t simply a social statement, it is a theological one. This is what we believe God wants for humanity and what we are called to do as God’s people. Every part of the body belongs not because they are shiny or talented but because it is part of something bigger and no one part is dismissed by another – each play a crucial role.
We, as a community of faith, have publicly stated that we honour human diversity by treating all people with dignity and respect, affirming that gender and sexuality are gifts from God; and that all people are made in the image of God, taking action to end all forms of discrimination, building community through events, studies, worship and relationships, and providing opportunities to learn about and understand differences. What we say here matters. By stating that all people are made in the image of God we root dignity and worth not in our opinions but in God.
In 2001, Rev. Saunders wrote: “we are saying that to our community is a group of people whose essential dignity is derived from the fact that we are God’s children and that in Christ, God loved us enough to live and die for us.” That theological conviction affirms that each person is loved by God without condition, without limit and beyond all difference. By making this value statement, and by being a publicly affirming church, we echo this in how we meet people and how we welcome them into this church. When we wrestle with the question of how do we honour the inherent worth of each person -regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or ability, we are focusing on the question: do we trust that God has already named each person as beloved?
There is a subtle but important shift that happens when a community of faith moves from tolerance to celebration. Tolerance says I can live with you here while the celebration of the other says this community is richer because you are here. Do you hear the shift? Being an affirming church, one that honours diversity, is more than saying who is welcome, it is about recognizing that diversity isn’t something to control but rather is a way for us to meet God.
The faith that we hold is dynamic, shaping itself as we experience God in the world. We trust in continuing revelation – the idea that God is continually found in and around us, showing up in a variety of ways. So, we are always learning – about God, about others, about ourselves. Which means inclusivity, accessibility, welcoming diversity isn’t something “we finish” so we can move on to the next thing. It is a practice, a commitment to always learning and growing. A way of being together that demands that we keep paying attention.
Paul reminds us that the parts of the body that seem weaker or less valuable are indeed indispensable. If this is the case, and if we celebrate this diversity, how do celebrate the kind of diversity that makes those with physical, mental and intellectual differences welcomed and included? We need to take time to think on accessibility – not as yet another thing we need to do, but rather as an expression of our theology and values. How are we enabling ALL people to have the opportunity to participate fully in our ministry and work? Do we have barriers that make this difficult? Do the people who gather for worship, all of them, see themselves reflected in our worship, our leadership or our community life?
What kind of community do we want to be?
Paul’s letter gives us the image of the whole body of Christ, and Colossians gives us the way to practice: As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, meekness, and patience…Above all, clothe yourselves in love.”
It takes energy, intention and practice to build a loving, inclusive community. And some awkwardness. We might stumble in our attempts but we keep on trying. Rev. Saunders pointed out that Westworthians try really hard to offer a warm, hospitable welcome to all who come through our doors, and some folks will really feel this while others won’t. People come in needing different things, and this just adds to the complexity of building community.
Building community means taking the time to get together not just for worship, but also for study, celebration, conversation and fun! Yes, fun! Rev. Saunders points out “if our one-on-one contacts are meant to promote in individuals a sense of being valued and supported, taking seriously our life as a community means arranging time for us to be together in groups, celebrating significant events, and just having a good time.” This is why coffee in the narthex, Lenten studies, interfaith conversations, small group ministry, meals, block parties, and Timeless Treasurers mean so much – they help build a strong community.
And building community isn’t limited to happening in this building alone. We need to carry that desire outward, into the neighbourhood, into partnerships, into relationships beyond Westworth. While this kind of community building may not necessarily put bums in seats, it does show up in growing trust, connection and a weaving of Westworth into the fabric of River Heights and Winnipeg.
We celebrate human diversity and we build community. It’s not always easy, but we keep trying. Throughout the last 75 years, the community of Westworth has worked together to create an accessible, welcoming, inclusive community that honours the fact that each and every one of us reflects the image of God, and is beloved. Have we been perfect? Will we be perfect? Maybe not. But there is space for us to continue to learn how to keep on being the body of Christ that God is calling us to be. One body, many members clothed in compassion, bound together in love. Not finished but faithful, and trusting that God is still at work among us. May our words, actions and life together be a manifestation of God’s great love and grace, and may we celebrate our place in the Body of Christ, knowing that each one of us integral and valuable in that body.
May it be so. Amen.
