‘We’ve measured goodness by who we exclude’

So remarks one of the characters in Joanne Harris’ book Chocolat. While the story provides many prophetic parallels for the Church and it’s interaction with wider society this comment seemed particularly incisive, because we (the Church) are always doing it.

Smoking, drinking alcohol, living together outside marriage, differing theological views are but a few of the 'issues' that can determine whether or not prospective members are accepted or rejected. Yet in the fog of our ‘suitability criteria’ we all too often lose sight of the One who we are really ‘joining’.

Instead of developing, maintaining and enforcing exclusive and prohibitive patterns of behaviour perhaps we (the church) should concern ourselves with fostering increasing closeness to Jesus in the lives of all we meet. We should have more confidence in the Holy Spirit to transform lives. We should take a leaf out of Jesus’ book and feel free to ‘hang’ with the wrong sort of people, however it looks.

Rather than judging and excluding perhaps we would better serve the King (and I’m not talking Elvis!) by being warm, non-judgmental and compassionate, offering grace and peace to our communities. Taking our lead from Matthew’s party for Jesus (Mark 2:15) it is certainly our hope that as we engage with the people of Stratford we will celebrate and demonstrate life in all its fullness: good food, loud laughter, love, romance, storytelling, and imagination. And we’re not choosy – we’ll take anyone!