
Our world seems to take delight in building barriers of EX-clusion. WE and “THEY” … US and “THEM” … NORMAL and “OTHER” — implying, of course, that WE and people who look, act and live like US are the “acceptable” ones.
In contrast, how wonderful to hear Heather proclaim NMCC’s IN-clusion on Sundays :
“No matter who you are — Or where you are on life’s journey — YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!“
Being an OPEN AND AFFIRMING congregation, we have made a commitment to REMOVE barriers and walls separating people, affirming that every single person
— BARRING NONE! —
is a beloved child of God, welcome and safe within our church community.

LGBTQIA PRIDE MONTH is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to recognize the 1969 Stonewall Uprisings in Manhattan which marked a beginning to outlawing discriminatory laws and practices against LGBTQIA+ Americans. Throughout June, picnics, parades, workshops, concerts and countless other activities commemorate years of struggle for civil rights — and the ongoing pursuit of equal justice under the law for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. This Sunday, as we celebrate PRIDE within worship at NMCC, the choir will sing Mark Miller’s “DRAW THE CIRCLE WIDE.”
We learned this choral anthem during COVID time when we were rehearsing only on ZOOM and it has quickly become one of our favorites! The text invites inclusive welcome of EVERYONE…
“ Draw the circle, draw the circle wide No one stands alone, we’ll stand side by side Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still! Let this be our song, no one stands alone…. Draw the circle wide.“

Click here to listen to it — and then come (or tune in) on Sunday to hear our own choir (with soloist Laura Prohaska) sing it with special joy!
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