Thank you Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church for bringing an energy of diversity back into worship, and reminding me of dear friends from the past.
I've known about Open Arms MCC for a while, but today was the first time I've attended a service. They meet on Sundays at 10 am at the Ainaloa Longhouse, which is a temporary worship location while they grow towards a permanent home.
Basically the Open Arms MCC premise is "Serving ALL God's children with Aloha!!" .... a church for people who can't take the rank hypocrisy of so much organized religion; a church for people who have been actively pushed away from other churches because they demanded equality for themselves, for women, and LGBT minorities. Wikipedia has a good read about Metropolitan Community Churches and all their "firsts" in equal rights here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me... .
"No matter who you are you are welcome -- and equal--- here." THIS is the teaching of Jesus. So easily overlooked by the divisive haters who call themselves Christian in our nation today.
Pastor Pressley Sutherland arrived recently to lead the church, and he delivered a thoughtful and powerful service.... he preached, he played keyboards, and he sang--- he's got a great voice and seems like a really good musician in addition to being a good preacher. His message --- like all the good messages--- somehow seemed to speak directly to me and the issues I am currently struggling with participating in the music program of a much more conservative (and discriminatory) local church.
Overall the service was comfortable contemporary Christian, yet also included beautiful poetry from an Islamic woman poet and an amazing India Arie song. The message topic today was "Cynical and Tired of Religion? Me Too !"
A man I chatted with after the service told me they're about 50% heterosexual and 50% LGBTQ. So basically it was a super diverse congregation. I could feel a real sense of caring and welcome and community.... and concern for social justice.... EXACTLY what you SHOULD find at a church.
They don't have all the formality and assets of your more established churches, but guess what, neither did Jesus, and it didn't hinder his message.
My only minor criticisms are that I'm a bit of a germophobe, and while I applaud their open communion, I would probably prefer if there were less people touching my bread as part of that ritual. Also, plenty of bibles but no hymnbooks in sight at all (I would prefer a hymnbook over just trying to guess the melody of unfamiliar praise songs).
Anyway, overall I LOVED the service, and am really looking forward to going back. You should check them out also.
FINAL NOTE-- MAKUU MARKET IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET SO AFTER CHURCH YOU CAN HIT THAT UP FOR SOME AMAZING FARMER'S MARKET FINDS AND GRINDS. A PERFECT PUNA SUNDAY MORNING. read more
