All Are Welcome Here!
God created all persons as God’s unique and beloved children.
The United Methodist Church approved the following statement in 2024. “The United Methodist Church proclaims that from God’s goodness and love, God created all persons as God’s unique and beloved children. Racism opposes God’s law, goodness, and love and diminishes the image of God in each person. Fueled by white privilege, white supremacy, and colonialism, the sin of racism has been a destructive scourge on global society and throughout the history of The United Methodist Church. It continues to destroy our communities, harm persons, obstruct unity, and undermine God’s work in this world. Racism must be eradicated. Therefore, the United Methodist Church commits to confronting and eliminating all forms of racism, racial inequity, colonialism, white privilege, and white supremacy, in every facet of its life and in society at large.” (Text of Article V - Racial Justice as approved at General Conference held in 2024)
In the last presidential election, when one of the candidates for president said that the United States has “never been a racist country.” I was shocked. Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people based on their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. Slavery, Jim Crow Laws, and modern-day practices of racial profiling show evidence that racism has been a part of our history and is alive and well today.
The Question of the Week on February 15, 2026, was, “Are you in favor of posting a sign that reads ‘This congregation is against racism?’”
a. 37 people responded
b. 30 people said: “Yes, post the sign!”
c. 7 people offered an alternative positive message with a sign that reads, “All are Welcome Here!”
Healthy Discussion and Loving Leaders: The Servant Leader Board discussed posting the sign and asked, “What is the best sign to post?” We wanted to send a message to everyone who comes up our drive: you are welcome here. We want to be welcoming to all people regardless of color, race, gender, or any other category. We voted to post a sign that said, “All Are Welcome Here!” The exclamation mark is our way of saying we really mean it. I was very pleased with the spirit of the discussion. The sign has been posted.
Our Actions are the real signs: In the end, the sign we post is not nearly as significant as the actions, words, and attitudes we share. We are the real signs of hospitality and welcome. We are the ones who reach out with love. We are the ones who show people they are welcome. We are the ones who do what we can to make them experience the love of Jesus at Wesley Chapel. Jesus has asked us to love our neighbors. That means all our neighbors. Let’s do it!
