From Mary Jane Viar
Searching for Home
... It seems that we all want the church to feel like home; in fact, it may be a necessity if we are to effectively go about doing God’s work through the church. But, is it possible with such divergent opinions and strong-willed advocates on either side for the church to exist as a home to all? ...

From Barbara Lundblad
To "Loose" is not to "Lose"
... You know where I'm going. I'm going to the place where all of our churches are today being torn utterly in pieces, and that is the discussion and the debate and the controversy about homosexuality. It is tearing all of us apart. It is tearing us apart partly because we have equated loosing and losing. The people will say, "If we loose these condemnations, we will lose the Bible." ...

From Barbara Crafton
The Rules of Engagement
... But the Church? Shouldn't the Church be of one mind about its doctrines? ...

God Is Not Only in the Easy Places
Though there may be disagreement, there can also be love.

Don't Know, Must Choose
The Bible is full of people setting out into the unknown. ...

Hearts and Minds to Follow Where Law Has Led
... Our Church knows that everybody has a lens -- you can't see without one. And every lens is different. We don't all see the same thing, and we don't see things the same way. ...

From Anne Robertson
Who is on the Lord's Side?
... For instance, at this stage in my faith, I take a very open stand on all the religious issues surrounding homosexuality. That hasn’t always been the case, and what I once defended (even in print) as "right," I now believe to be "wrong." In looking at the way my own faith has moved (and homosexuality is not the only issue on which I’ve done an about-face), I find the truth of Jesus' words that in judging others we only judge ourselves. ...

From Earle Donelson, Ph.D.
Hearing the Voices and Experiences of Others
... The issue has become a lightning rod, drawing our attention and resources away from other issues (poverty, hunger, disease, and the environment) and distracting us from what Christ calls us to do (love our neighbors). It’s hard to reconcile the widely divergent perspectives we hear from those who claim to be people of faith. How do we balance being open to the insights and perspectives of others without becoming dependent and letting others guide our lives? ...