In our denomination, the United Church of Christ, you will often hear people open worship with these lines: “Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here.”

I’m thinking about that a lot this week as I ponder the journeys of the Magi, who we lift up as examples of faith, courage and worship.  The story unfolding in Matthew 2 describes their vision from the East, travel to Bethlehem, a dangerous narcissistic King Herod, and their safe passage home after worshiping the Christ Child with the famous offerings of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

I’m thinking about the lessons of their journey and ours. Everything is a journey, if you think about it. Our individual lives, our relationships as family, friends, church, and other communities. Our city is on a journey, our nation and world too.  

I think we don’t pause often enough to appreciate the wide arc of these journeys and to put them in longer historical and eternal perspective. How God’s worked within and despite us for growth and change, how the burdens we carry today define us (and don’t), how the wider picture of social evolving, advancement, regressing, repentance, labor pains tell a story. God’s story. Dr. King called it the moral arc of the universe and encouraged us to remember it bends toward justice. The world-changing birth of Jesus Christ began a new journey for the world, as the Light he bore is trusted and shared over the centuries by those of us following stars.

When our UCC family opens gatherings with the lines above, about unconditional welcome, we offer it in a desire to honor the breadth and diversity of these journeys. We acknowledge our journeys can be hard, messy, confusing… and that it can be hard to share these journeys, even in Christ’s church where truth and grace are supposed to reign.  

I hope that you will find all the welcome you need in worship this week, and in the unfolding Epiphanies of this New Year.

In Christ’s Peace,
Pastor Jacki