Understanding our purpose

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Those words are inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. They are part of a poem entitled, "The New Colossus," written by Emma Lazarus. For decades those words have reflected the hope, promise and opportunity provided within the borders of the United States. People flocked to this country from every nation on earth for freedom, liberty and opportunity. As a result our society has become a melting pot of cultures, people and in many cases problems, but it is still one of the things that makes America great.

I believe this concept reflects what the church is supposed to be. A land of promise and opportunity. A place of new beginnings, restored hope and a unique bond of fellowship. If we embrace the words of Jesus, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest . . .," then we are inviting those who are different, those who are socially, morally and spiritually challenged. We welcome the quirky, unique and challenging people in our society.

How tragic it is when we so homogenize our worship and our spiritual community that people don't feel welcome. What a shame it is when rather than work with people, teach people and lead people, we simply wash our hands of them. We need to return to doing the hard work of ministering to those who don't fit into our neat little mold of church life.