Is Open Prairie a Good Fit For You?
Some Questions to Explore (Try Out All the Answers!)
When it comes to religion and spirituality, do you follow an official creed, or do you make up your own mind about things?
Open Prairie might not be right for you. We don’t have an official creed, because we don’t all believe the same things, and because we find unison creeds a bit coercive. Our lack of a formal creed might make you uncomfortable. But who knows—maybe it’s time to spread your wings a little?
Do you think you have something to learn from the Christian stories about Jesus: his life, his example, and his teachings?
Hmm … that might be a problem. There are many religious traditions in this world, and we’re not knocking any of them. But we often focus on what we can learn from the life and teachings of Jesus. If you’re not interested in that stuff, then you’ll probably find our perspective annoying.
Do you believe that the Bible is God’s word, so it’s always right about everything?
Well, we often take inspiration from the Bible, but we don’t always agree with it. So you might not always agree with us. But is that a bad thing?
Do you go to church?
That’s fine. Most of us do, too. We enjoy getting together, some in person or and some by Zoom, for our weekly soul-care on Sunday mornings. You’d be welcome. But, hey: if you already have a church you love, we hope you’ll keep right on loving it. You’re welcome simply to come to our web site for additional resources any time.
That’s fine. (We’re not trying to make anyone feel guilty.) There are plenty of reasons why “going to church” might not be your thing, even though you’re interested in the spiritual side of life. Please feel free to use the resources on this web site.
Where are you most likely to feel your connection to God?
Great! Free from all distractions, we can hear God’s still, small voice. There’s nothing like it!
Fantastic! When we get together, we feel the fellowship and harmony into which God is always inviting us. There’s nothing like it!
Oh, yeah! Through the woods, on a mountain, by a lake, in the desert, out on the ocean: all creation sings God’s glory. It’s a humbling feeling, to perceive even a bit of that great song. There’s nothing like it!
Absolutely! God is with us when we are working to heal the world. Knowing that you’ve helped someone, even just a little, is a priceless feeling. There’s nothing like it!
Wonderful! Music can make the heart soar. And the same goes for all the arts, like painting, dance, architecture, poetry, and theater. Great works of art give us a precious experience: they lift us out of ourselves and open us to God. There’s nothing like it!
How do you feel about people with different sexual orientations and/or gender expressions?
Fair enough: lots of people feel that way. We all have things to learn about each other, and most of us feel more comfortable with people who are more like us. But you should know that Open Prairie is an “Open and Affirming” UCC church. That means that we extend an intentional welcome to LGBTQ folks, in all parts of the church’s life and ministry. We do same-sex weddings. We’ve been led by pastors with a same-sex partners. We don’t judge people based on their sexual orientation or gender expression, and we don’t think God does either.
That’s the spirit! And, you know, our differences don’t stop at issues of sexual orientation and gender expression. Quite a few of the members of Open Prairie say that they feel like misfits in this world, for one reason or another. We’re all different, but we all try to be there for each other.