We  extend a special welcome to those who are single, married,

divorced, separated, straight, gay, transgender,

mighty rich, mighty poor, or mightily trying.

We welcome those who are crying newborns, skinny as a rail,

or aiming to lose a few.

We extend a special welcome if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli

or can only sing into a bucket.

You’re welcome if you’re “just browsing” just woke up, or just got out of jail.

We don’t care if you’re “cradle Episcopalian” or a “cafeteria Christian”

or if you’re not sure what to be or believe.

We don’t care if you have only seen the inside of a church through YouTube,

think Hozier invented “Take me to church”,

or haven’t been in church since your BFF from high school got married.

We extend a special welcome to those over 60 who haven’t grown up

yet, and to teenagers who think they’re already grown up.

We welcome soccer dads/moms, NASCAR moms/dads, starving artists, tree-huggers,

latte sippers, card carrying NRA members and card-burning Socialists.

We welcome vegetarians and junk-food aficionados.

We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted.

We welcome you if you’re having problems, or you’re down in the dumps or if

you don’t like “organized religion”, hey, many of us have been there too.

We extend a special welcome if you blew all your offering money at the

casino, still think the earth is flat, work too hard, can’t sepll, or because

Grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.

We extend a special welcome to those who are inked,

pierced, both or undecided.

You are welcome if you need a special prayer right now, don’t trust “religion”

yet feel a spiritual tug,

or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake.

We welcome seekers, finders, tourists, wanderers, doubters, bleeding

Hearts … and you.

This is your home.

What unites us is Jesus Christ, his Life, Death, and Resurrection.

The rest is details.