This sign is prominently displayed in the Skinner building of Saint John's Episcopal Church in Fort Smith Arkansas. It is the building that is used for the community. It is a reminder that Unity is about our diversity. On Pentecost Sunday our celebration of diversity takes Center Stage in our community. The epistle is read in multiple languages, German, French Spanish, Swahili, Japanese by members of the congregation. It is a modern-day representation of the apostles speaking in tongues. In the Episcopal Church however, we celebrate diversity everyday. This celebration of diversity has met with some controversy as we ordain women, gays, lesbians and transgender people as priests. I sometimes think my Free Will Baptist relatives see my religious views as being close to heresy. However as Father Mike Lager said in his 2019 Pentecostal Sunday sermon about the diversity of our community " I see gays and straights. I see Republicans Democrats and Libertarians. Our diversity is one of God's gifts." After all god's second most important commandment after loving him was to love our neighbors as ourselves no further explanation no caveat no exceptions. In addition God doesn't define who our neighbors are. With an ever-shrinking Global community our "neighbors" maybe halfway around the world. Our Unity is about our diversity.
