An interesting word caught my attention  when reading a congratulatory article about the election of the Reverend Dr. Andrew Pomerville to be the new President of Louisville Presbyterian Seminary in Louisville, KY.  Congratulations to Andrew!

The word in the article that caught my attention.  “WHOSOEVER”, according to the Board of Trustees Chair Elizabeth Clay, “….captures not who we are but who and how we want to be in this world.”  (Presbyterian Weekly News June 5, 2023).   I truly believe this to be a commitment that captures who and how we are to be the “CHURCH” in the world. [This word, coincidentally, is found 24 times in scripture opening doors for all people to grow “whosoever” they may be in God’s beloved world.]

Andrew Pomerville talks of his commitment to embrace becoming a “Whosoever Community” — an anchor found in the Mission focus of the seminary:  

Whosoever Focus — Louisville Seminary…https://www.lpts.edu/mission

• Strives to offer affordable and accessible theological education.
• Continues to become an anti-racist seminary.
• Continues to become a seminary that affirms people who are LGBTQIA+.
• Continues to become a seminary that welcomes people who have disabilities.
• Continues to become a seminary that welcomes people who are neurodivergent.
• Continues to welcome students of many faiths and those who identify with no religious tradition.

My challenge is to embrace the commitment to become a “WHOSOEVER CHURCH”:

• that strives to be welcoming and accessible for ALL people in ALL walks in life.
• that evolves as an anti-racist church.
• that accepts people who are LGBTQIA+.
• that welcomes people of various ages, abilities, disabilities and those who are neurodivergent.
• that accepts people of all cultures and faith traditions

 A FEW SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:

1. “What and how” are we to be relevant as Christ’s church in the future — with friends and neighbors — those we may perceive to be different — family — strangers — enemies — people from different faith traditions?
2. “What and how” are we to be a loving presence in the lives of “whosoever” risks searching for a deeper relationship with God?
3. Personally, for the sake of our children and grandchildren, “what and how” will we embrace opening our hearts and minds and souls to “whosoever”crosses our paths in this complicated world?

These are just a few of my thoughts and questions reflecting on this magnificent word “WHOSOEVER” on this cool California day……June 8, 2023.