All are welcome! Well, almost all ...?

Sex Offenders Test Churches’ Core Beliefs - New York Times (requires registration)

This is a really interesting story about a UCC church in California that is divided over the whether or not to admit a man to the congregation who is a convicted sex offender. Some people feel it is their duty to let him in. Others feel he endangers their children. Others, adult survivors of child abuse, feel that his presence is an affront.

I found this quote from the article really interesting and challenging.

“They are conflicting ministries,” the Rev. Patricia Tummino said about reaching out to sex offenders, to children and to adult survivors of abuse....“You can’t be all things to all people,” she said.

Really? Are we going to pick and choose who we serve? I understand that churches have limited resources and can only offer so much in the way of specialized support, but the sex offender in the story is just talking about being allowed to join the church. Not asking for a counseling program.

I don't see that the church has a choice. If you say all are welcome, then all are welcome. Jesus welcomed the unclean and the guilty to follow him. At the same time, everyone understands the desire of parents to protect their kids. At a previous church, he made a deal with the congregation that he would never attend the church without another adult to chaperone him. That seems to me a good compromise.

For now, though, Pilgrim UCC won't allow him to attend services. And because he was open about his background as a sex offender, which led to media attention, he lost his job and was evicted. Now he's homeless and unemployed. He has suffered a lot of setbacks in return for being honest about his background.

I'll be interested to see how this turns out. I'm sure the church will be changed, no matter what happens. As the article points out some people have left because he might be joining, others have joined because they are impressed by the openness of the church. I pray that Mr. Pliska finds a place of peace and the faith of those struggling with this situation will be deepened and strengthened by the experience.