laughing pastor

she sent these words
as we shared our greetings...

"being on the fringe of the church is tough, 
but I have to believe that that's where a lot of the 
exciting things are happening, 
as difficult as they might be."

hmmm...
i spent most of my life
tucked safely
in the middle
the vanilla
typical
not too much of this
not too much of that
moderate
middle
not noticed for 
anything 
controversial

however
coming out of denial
peals away all those 
safe layers of the middle
and now
my very breathing existence 
puts me in the 
fringe of the church

fringe...
that's an interesting description

oh,
i understand what my friend was saying
with her words
she was offering affirmation and support

but i'm left 
to ponder 
"fringe" 
as a way of life

fringe...

1. decorative edging of strands: a decorative border of short parallel strands or raveled threads held closely together at one end by stitching and hanging loosely at the other end

 

2 .any border or edging: something that serves as or resembles a border "a fringe of reeds circling the pond"

 

3. outer limit: the outer edge, or something considered to be on the outer edge and not central to an activity, interest, or issue

 

no longer in the middle

i am now 

the decorative edging!

 

that works for me

 

or

i am the border 

the edge 

providing 

a frame 

around all the other.

 

that works for me

 

or

i am the outer limit

no longer the central interest 

or issue

 

oh how i wish this were 

the reality

 

for to 

no longer be the central interest or issue

would mean that the church

the culture 

would have come to terms with 

their 

fear and prejudice

and 

lgbtq

men and women 

would have the space

and respect to 

live

love

serve

and marry

 

-------------

 

at the core of my being

in the middle of my soul

i know GOD'S love

and calling

and with this

assurance 

i am confident 

that to be the fringe of the church

and society 

is a gift

 

from 

the perspective of the 

outer limit

the edge

GOD'S love is 

abundantly evident

and real!

 

so 

as i see it

the church 

would be 

awfully 

dull and 

duller

without 

the 

"fringe" 

 

and 

as i know

it...

GOD'S love

is anything but

dull and duller!