June 2023

What is a Lighthouse Church? A Lighthouse Church is a United Methodist
congregation that is specifically trained in hospitality and welcoming those looking for a
church home. In areas where there are many churches who are disaffiliating from the
United Methodist Church, Lighthouse Churches may be the only churches in the area
that are remaining United Methodist. Here in the North Coast District, we only have one
church that is currently planning to disaffiliate. However, we may have any number of
folks who wonder what our theology is when they see we are a United Methodist
Church. Are we planning to leave the denomination? Are we traditional or progressive?

The answer to the first question, affirmed by church leadership, is a resounding NO.
Christ is a United Methodist congregation and is actually the only remaining United
Methodist Church on Cleveland’s West Side. There are other ministries and missions
nearby that are United Methodist, including Harbor and Bridge (a ministry of
Strongsville UMC), Story Church (part of Rocky River UMC) and outreach efforts by
Westlake UMC. But we have been here as a United Methodist congregation since 1938.

And the answer to the second question – are we traditional or progressive – is yes!
Many of you grew up in this church. Many of you are from this neighborhood. You have
other identifiers – age, ethnicity, education, faith background. You have many
similarities and many differences. But we are drawn together by the most important
thing – our faith in Jesus Christ as expressed through this church. We have agreed on a
statement of focus, strategies and goals. We have a statement of welcome. But maybe
the most important and concise statement of our beliefs is on every bulletin. “We are all
God’s children.” We. Are. All. God’s. Children. As long as we hold to that statement, as
long as we believe that, there is nothing that we cannot do together.

Because we are United Methodist, we have the opportunity to join with other
congregations around the conference and around the world. We can make connections
as far away as Cambodia – getting to know the leader of the Susannah Wesley House
and supporting the students there. We can take advantage of programs like the
Lighthouse program to increase our knowledge and learn from other United Methodists
who are in congregations like ours, or maybe a lot different than ours.

If you have concerns about where our church is headed, or my leadership, I invite you
always to come to me so that we may have a conversation. But let me assure you, we
are United Methodist. We live in a connectional system. Let’s claim that identity and
love all – siblings in Christ, the One who taught us to love.

And as always
Fear Not,
Pastor Dianne