Innovation Hub Update
Celebrating the Pride of Blaine
By Lynne Onishi
I can’t believe summer is just around the corner! The young adults are excited to pick up our hiking ministry, enjoy sunshine and fellowship in God’s creation, and work with our film crew about the possibility of more outdoor movie nights in the courtyard! The Reconciling Ministries team is excited about all things during Pride Month!
I’m getting ready to wrap up my one-year Ministry Innovation fellowship at Wesley Theological Seminary. Throughout the year, I’ve been learning about church innovation alongside a cohort of young adults. Together, we’ve spent the last several months connecting with pastors and church leaders who want to see new life in their ministries. I’ve gained so much from synthesizing what I’ve experienced in this program with my ministry work at this church. Perhaps most importantly, I’ve learned that we are not alone in our struggles. Churches all across the country are having the same conversations we’re having about the future of the Church, sustainability, the ever- changing culture, and the irrelevance of the Church in young people’s lives.
Now is a critical period in which the Church can respond to these needs and problem-solve. But that requires a shift in how Church happens. It requires that young people lead these conversations and, in return, the Church listens to and believes young people. That’s much easier said than done.
Our Young Peoples Survey from 2022 revealed that only half of those who grew up in a faith community were still active members as young adults. We heard stories of both beautiful community and heartbreaking pain young people experienced within churches and youth ministries. And we heard calls from young people for the church to respond to today’s crisis in a way that communicates to the world who Jesus is and what God stands for.
As we prepare to take a vote on our affiliation with the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), I am mindful of the many fears that accompany making a public declaration. But this is a path many of our neighbor churches and Japanese American Caucus churches have already walked. We are not alone in this. Participating in the RMN is an opportunity to align our mission with what Jesus calls us to do as Christians – to side with the marginalized and oppressed and resist evil in all its forms (racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, etc.).
Churches join the RMN by voting to adopt a reconciling statement, which must receive support from 75% of the congregation. This statement is a declaration to both one another and the public that our congregation is committed to inclusivity and justice:
We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to stand in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.
To believe this statement is only part of the story. To declare this statement is another. To declare this belief means that we will be held accountable for acting like we believe it. And I believe that we are ready to proclaim this Good News to our community!
The IH team and RM Task Force are always looking for new folks to join us. If you feel called to lend your voice to these important ministries, we invite you to join us at our next team zoom meeting. Please contact Lynne (lynneonishi@gmail.com) or IH team members for more info.
Important dates for June 2023
| Sunday, June 25 Pride Sunday, Reconciling Ministries |
| Friday, June 30 IH Film and Discussion Night |
Read our latest issue of the Beacon!
The June edition of the Beacon features stories from our church in celebration of Summer! Download the PDF!