You Are Welcome
I want to take a moment and welcome you.
No matter where you are on your faith or life journey, you are welcome here.
If you are married or single or divorced or widowed, you are welcome.
If you are happy or sad or anxious, you are welcome.
If you struggle with your identity or are confident in your identity, you are welcome.
If you are rich or poor, sick, or well, you are welcome.
You are welcome here if you are young or old, or young at heart, or feeling old, you are welcome.
In all your uniqueness, your culture, your customs, and lifestyle,you are welcome here.
If you believe in God all of the time, some of the time, or not at all, you are welcome.
Come with your pains and sorrows.
Come with your fear and brokenness.
Come with a mind that is open and a heart that is ready to give and receive love and compassion. You are welcome in this community.
At our Carol Caring Community Church, we are dedicated to creating a sanctuary of acceptance and compassion, where all individuals, regardless of their background or beliefs, are embraced as cherished members of our community. We are committed to guiding and supporting each person on their unique spiritual journey, drawing upon the teachings of Christ as our cornerstone. Inspired by Christ's commandments to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love even our enemies, we strive to embody forgiveness, reconciliation, and grace in all our interactions. Through our inclusive worship, compassionate outreach, and nurturing fellowship, we seek to equip individuals to live out these transformative principles in their lives and communities. Together, we aspire to foster a world where everyone is valued, accepted, and empowered to thrive in the light of Christ's love.
We are excited to announce that we will be offering many more programs. Watch for updates in our emails. Here are a few highlights:
Let Yourself Be Loved Book Study:
Starting the first Saturday of every month in February
Salon Church:
Third Saturday of every month
Times and dates change monthly. Join us for walking meditations andTiChi movment
no artistic abilities needed
The short of it is I felt rejected and judged by the church.
I was very active in my church community, I was aware that we did not all share the same views about many things in life but I was naïve in believing that I could be myself and be accepted.
After a council meeting one night a fellow council member came up to me and said "Wow, that was brave" I didn't understand what he meant at the time but I soon found out. We were talking about how to bring more people into the church. I pointed out we have a group that comes into the church 2 to 3 times a week , AA and NA. If we wanted to make them feel more welcome to participate in our service we could offer a non-alcoholic alternative in communion. Also we have LGBTQIA members, why don't we publicly advocate inclusion.
I learned that they may tolerate people who are different but they did not accept them. I found myself excluded... I stayed believing I could be part of a positive change in the church.
Crying the whole way home from church after one too many obvious incidents I knew I was done. I am not going back.
This became the catalyst to a deep and rewarding relationship with my Creator. I started practicing praying and meditation with journaling. Which expanded into creating art. This is what I want to share with you on my blog. Join me as I explore ways of growing and living into the love and peace that we are designed to be in and with.
This Photograph is a unique image that I came up with after asking God where do you want me to worship and the answer I received was," You are in my sanctuary."
It had been over a year and I was starting to miss being involved with a community. A good friend of mine who knows me well had suggested a group that gathers in unique settings (not a church building). It is designed for people who were feeling disenfranchised with the church and yet wanted to be spiritually fed. Communities of Hope, they called themselves Coffee Shop Church because they were gathering in a coffee shop after hours! I wasn't sure what to expect. They started with a beautiful welcoming and then offered an apology. I didn't even know I needed an apology but when I heard it I was moved so deeply I couldn't hold back the tears. This was a new beginning, a new way to be church!
Within a year I was gathering with friends and friends of friends in my hair salon, Salon Church!! That was in 2017.