What we do and say outside our buildings is crucial. Over a month after adding a rainbow flag to the front of their church, Emmanuel United Church in Waterloo, Ontario, received the following email:
“Today on my way to work I noticed your flag “All Welcome”. Not sure if it had always been there, but today it certainly caught my eye.
The message touched my heart.
The rainbow spoke volumes. I suppose I have always had a soft spot for differences and when I saw your flag today, I was touched at the open arms of your parish to all and wanted to tell you that I am so glad that you exist. In my own faith journey I witnessed intolerance, judgment, and self-righteousness, thankfully not towards myself, but it may as well have been because we are all children of God and I took that judgment of others very personally.
When I see intolerance, I speak out and when I see others open their hearts, I want to say thank you because it is this way that we can change the world from a world of anger and hatred to a world of peace and love.
Thank you for “welcoming all” and for flying your flag high to remind all who see it to do the same and to treat each other with love and kindness. I don’t have to drive by your church on my way to work, but now that I’ve seen your flag, I will go this way every day, it is worth going a little bit out of my way to see such a symbol of love and to start my day with this message!”
Thanks to Rev. Dr. Bruce Sweet for sharing this email with us.
Photographer: Arthur Hills