Letters

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   HAVE YOUR SAY Feel strongly about something? Share it with the community by writing a letter to the editor. You’ll need to include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) We reserve the right to edit letters, but if you keep yours to 250 words or less, we won’t ask you to shorten it. If your letter is published, please wait 30 days before submitting another. Send it to: E-mail: letters@heraldnet.com Mail: Letters section The Herald P.O. Box 930 Everett, WA 98206 Fax: 425-339-3458 Have a question about letters? Contact Carol MacPherson (cmacpherson@heraldnet.com or 425-339-3472).   Published: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 CHURCHES Inclusive church growing just fine I read with interest your Saturday story on the decisions of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Everett and Edmonds Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to become "open and affirming" churches. Monroe Congregational United Church of Christ, which I serve as pastor, as been officially open and affirming since 2003. Our experience with accepting gay and lesbian people as fully equal, loved and valued members of the congregation belies one of the statements in your story. You quote Professor James Wellman Jr. of the University of Washington as saying that liberal churches tend to have fewer young people, and often wind up without strong teaching on any subject out of fear that it will be considered exclusive. Although we are still a small congregation, Monroe Congregational UCC has roughly doubled in size in recent years, mostly through the addition of young families with children. We strongly teach and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel of God's unconditional love and grace for all people. We teach our children the Christian values of love, compassion and respect for all of God's people. Becoming an open and affirming congregation, and proclaiming the understanding of God's grace in which that position is grounded, has renewed and revitalized our church. I pray that the courageous decision of our fellow Christians at St. Paul in Everett and at Edmonds Christian Church will have the same beneficial effect for them, and I have no doubt that it will. Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Sorenson Pastor Monroe Congregational United Church of Christ

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