The release of the short poetry collection ‘Sanctuary’ has officially begun!
“Open Doors” brings us to the entrance of One Church Brighton, where The Poet discovers a church that demonstrates what God’s unconditional love means in action as well as words.
Knowing that an environment exists that encourages its members to proudly be who they are and know they are loved just as they are, to ask questions and engage with the teachings for deeper understanding, and grow in their faith organically can be just as hope-bringing as relieving as hearing and seeing what they do.
Here are some thoughts from the Poet on ‘Open Doors’:
“Open Doors was the first poem I wrote inspired by my arrival at One Church Brighton last November. After my formative to early adulthood was spent in churches that did harm in the name of God, my view of God and faith was warped for the worse. I attributed God with the pain I felt, and from that, a hesitation to trust any church again grew.
“‘Open Doors’ reflects the reluctance many from marginalised communities, disadvantaged circumstances, or who have come from less forgiving interpretations of Christianity may now bear when presented with an environment that truly reflects the kindness of God. It is unfamiliar and can be daunting to accept as real, but finally encountering such compassion and true unconditional love, as God does have, can brings the peace we’ve been only taught about but never known until we find it.”
“P.S. Throughout the collection, the pronouns used to refer to God will change, as will the narrator of each poem, switching between God and someone who is learning to find rest in the sanctuary of God. This not only reflects the dialogue between us and God on our journey to understanding God’s love for us, but also demonstrates the multidimensional ways God can reveal Themself to us, and Their intimate empathy with who we are and what we need.”
Do you remember the first time you entered a space where you truly felt welcomed and able to be you completely? How does that feeling relate to your understanding of God’s nature of unconditional love?