Would Good Will Hunting be welcome in your church?

There's a lot bubbling in my head right now, trying to explain the stretch that is authentic diversity. We truly DO want to look at our faith communities and see the proverbial rainbow, to know that a wide variety of opinions and backgrounds are in those minds...but when it comes time for conversation, well, most of us gravitate to those we already know, or those with whom we have easily identified common ground.

I could go on for hours, but then I'd be late to work. So, I'll jump back to the title of this entry--
Would Will Hunting be welcome in your church? He gets a plus for being brilliant and well-read. BUT, he doesn't have a degree and is pretty disdainful of that process, brutally blue color. He could get a plus for being from Boston, but his accent and clothes let you know it's more the Southie Boston than the Brahmin. His abrasiveness...well, it depends on the personalities already in the church and the content of a disruptive behavior policy.

Ok, maybe Will Hunting is a hard one. But consider your favorite character from another movie or a book. One who really stick with you. Is there a place in your congregation for that person?

Cutting Through It All

Shortly after I became a paid religious educator (as opposed to however many years I'd been doing the job instinctively and less formally), I met a minister. He was one of those rare souls with so little ego and yet such charm--it was impossible NOT to open up to him. Within a few minutes, over a simple dinner, he had me on my hopes and dreams. My stress and fears. Mostly he nodded. Asked the occasional question. Questions that gave me more questions.

Our time was limited--we needed to get back to a training we were attending. But as we stood to bus our plates he gave me a blessing that at the time didn't make sense. Indeed, it caught me by surprise. It was a truth I had to grow into, and then it gave me peace.

The specifics of it are not important. What is is the growing realization of the past few years of the magic he wrought with seemingly little effort. In the interim I heard from others with similar tales--how he was able to sense an underlying truth and pull it to the surface. Quietly, and with love.

One of these decades, I hope to cultivate this skill.