By Rev. Chris Brouillard-Coyle
MY GRANDFATHER had a swivel, recliner chair that was positioned such that he could sit and watch out the window or rotate and engage in conversation with those in the room. In his later years he spent hours in that chair. Each time he sat down, it was as though he melted into its frame and the two become one. The chair was truly his in a way that no one else who ever sat in that chair could ever experience and yet, my grandfather never fully understood why it was others didn’t find his chair as comfortable as he did.
For many of us, our churches are like my grandfather’s chair. We have spent so many hours in our spaces there is a sense of familiarity and comfort that allows us the privilege of feeling like we belong. Worship, fellowship, and so much more, ‘fits’ us in ways we don’t even realise. We don’t have to. It is just so natural to us. In fact, it is just so natural for us, that we may not understand how others may not have the same experience of comfort and familiarity.
Just as letting someone sit in his chair wouldn’t necessarily enable someone to be comfortable alongside my grandfather, there is more to having a diverse church than simply inviting diverse people into the pews. It is important to consider what is needed to ensure that diverse individuals have what they need to participate in the community. This may mean compromise and perhaps even change.
Compromise and change are part of our history. Consider the conflicts raised in the very early Christian Church about the inclusion of Gentiles. Did they need to be circumcised? What about food sacrificed to idols? What rules from the Jewish tradition needed to be obeyed to be part of the fledgling community? St. Paul was a significant advocate for spaciousness, for meeting people where they were at, and accepting the gifts they offered. His letters, the epistles we frequently read in worship, serve as reminder that spaciousness is part of our history and a challenge to consider what that might look like today.
What are we willing to let go of to enable us to have a diverse church today? Would we consider adapting Myrtle’s butter tart recipe, a longstanding staple at fellowship time, so that it no longer contained nuts in order to protect those who might have allergies? Are we prepared to let go of the need for sacred silence in worship to accommodate young children and those who are neurodivergent who might make a bit of noise? How much chaos are we willing to tolerate in worship to enable young families to participate?
Many churches have added ramps and accessible bathrooms, but what about other types of accessibility? To what extent have we looked at possible sensory issues for those with autism? Do lights hum? Are there food options that are appropriate, like plain pasta or make your own sandwiches? Is there space where someone could go if they were overstimulated?
What considerations have been given for those from diverse backgrounds? If individuals are new to Canada and are still learning English, are there parishioners willing to learn a bit of their language to help bridge the gap? To what extent is there a willingness to invite these individuals to share their culture and/or their story if they are open to do so?
How about those who are gender and/or sexually diverse? If a couple displays affection, will they get negative looks? To what extent have folks recognised that saying only brothers and sisters excludes those who are non-binary? How will a transgender person be treated if they come to the church?
Therein lies the biggest question every congregation should be asking if we are truly aiming to be a diverse church: How will diverse individuals be treated if they come? How will Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour be treated? How will those with diverse abilities be treated? How will those with diverse genders and sexualities be treated? How will those living in poverty be treated? How will those with addictions be treated? How will the plethora of God’s Beloved children truly be treated by every member of the congregation? Are we ready for the spaciousness needed to ensure diverse individuals are respected and comfortable among us?
In Galatians 3:28 we are told “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” The words challenge us to see all people as God’s beloved, members with us of the Body of Christ. May we continually seek to challenge ourselves to look past the comfort of our chairs and find ways to extend comfort to diverse peoples as we work to truly be a diverse church.
Rev. Chris Brouillard-Coyle is a co-chair of SEJH.
Photo: Cindy Tang/Unsplash