On October 13-14, 2023, more than one hundred volunteers from West Lawn UMC built the frame of a two-story home in our parking lot. Volunteers ranged in age from 5 years old to 85 years old. Women and men, boys and girls, ranging from 5 years old to 85 years old, some that are professional carpenters and others that have never swung a hammer participated. In a short amount of time, in love (and pouring down rain), sixty-one wall sections were constructed. All materials and labor were given in love to Berks County Habitat for Humanity. This house is being constructed in Reading and a family in need will be residing there within a year.

Here at our church we extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, straight, filthy rich, comfortable, dirt poor, have lived here for decades, just moved in, or are passing on through. Whatever your background, nationality, or skin color, we don't care; you're welcome here.

We extend a special welcome to those that are newly married, never married, married again, or married for longer than they can even remember… or choose to remember. We welcome families of all shapes and sizes, those with one child that is as quiet as a mouse, those with a whole basketball team, and parents with crying new-born babies.

You’re welcome here if you can sing like John Coakley or Pat Kenna or if you can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re "just browsing," just woke up, or just got out of prison. Those that serve in our military or work in our community as first responders, you’re welcome here, too. We don’t care if you’re more Christian than the Bishop or if you haven’t been in church since your little nephew’s baptism.

We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome yoga moms, football dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters, and food connoisseurs.

We welcome those who are in recovery or are still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps. We welcome you even if you don’t like ‘organized religion’ or you call yourself ‘spiritual.’

If you blew all your money on the horses or the scratch-offs, you’re welcome here, too. We offer a welcome to those who work too hard, don’t work at all, can’t spell, or come just because grandma is in town and she made you go to church.

We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, those that had religion shoved down their throat as a kid, or got lost on Penn Ave and wound up here by mistake.

We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts, and all those at different locations on their own journey of faith. Progressives, traditionalists, compatibilists, non-compatibilists… come on in, we welcome you, too. There’s more than enough room in my Father’s house.

You're welcome here.