Dear Westwood Family,

At our recent meeting, our Westwood UMC Church Council affirmed a new, succinct mission statement for our congregation:

Westwood United Methodist Church is an intergenerational Christian community committed to radical inclusivity, justice, compassion, and growing Jesus’ beloved community.

I hope that it resonates with you, and speaks to the values at the core of what we do. In our conversations, we found rich resonance across the diversities of our church, including folks involved with our young people’s ministries, and folks who worship in both the Sanctuary and the Loft. I know that we will continue to talk about what these words mean to us as they get further integrated into our congregation life, and serve as a guide for what we do.

Today, I wanted to say a few words about one of the phrases that we labored longest with: the one that names our commitment to “growing Jesus’ beloved community.” By “growing,” we meant to imply that part of the work is in forming, shaping, and deepening the spiritual life and practices of the people who are a part of our congregation. In our Wesleyan tradition, this is a core part of our understanding of grace: we are people who continue to “going on to perfection in love,” letting our lives be shaped and reshaped, again and again, as we grow in our understanding of God’s love.

We are growing our own capacity for Christ-like love. 

But also: we are called to grow as a community by welcoming new people into our church. We are not an exclusive club for those already “in,” but a community that invites, shares hospitality with, and extends generosity toward new people, always. We must always be sharing what we have — this beautiful, imperfect, holy community of faith — with people who have been outside of our community. We cannot grow our capacity for love if we fail to expand our circle of care.

Some of us have complicated and harmful experiences with efforts at evangelism that have been coercive or judgmental; there can be such dangerous arrogance in attempts to convert others, especially when it comes with an expectation that new converts will simply replicate what has been, in submission to the people who’ve been in charge. That is not what I mean to convey with words about “growing” our community. Rather, we are called to growth together, guided by God and shaped by our values of love, compassion, inclusivity, and justice. We are called to continual change, because of the people who are a part of our congregation and their gifts, experiences, and perspectives.

Specifically, we are growing in “beloved community,” a phrase that captures both our core belief that all people are beloved by God, and that speaks of our belief that not only does God want us to work for a better world (that is, one without poverty or fear, without racism or sexism or classism, one with equity and joy), but that better world is possible here and now, and eternally. It claims both the power of our commitment to social justice, and our trust in the kingdom (or kin-dom) of God.

I think this is a rare and needed thing: communities that share a common calling, that truly welcome new people in, and together seek to grow in our ability to embody the values we hold dear. I can see the ways we have been doing this for years, and I am grateful.

grace and peace,
Pastor Molly