Summary:
Rev. Alice King’s sermon emphasizes the importance of radical inclusion and solidarity within the church community, urging members to proactively create welcoming spaces for all. The sermon draws on Jan Richardson’s blessing for belonging, highlighting the need to move beyond simple inclusion to a deeper level of liberation and decolonization. Rev. King challenges the congregation to consider who is missing and how to include them before they even arrive, using the example of preemptive radical inclusion. Rev. King encourages the congregation to face tyranny with action and offers practical suggestions for fostering inclusion, such as pronoun stickers and a discussion group on tyranny. Ultimately, Rev. King inspires the congregation to be a “small island of coherence” and to affect change by resisting oppression and leaning on each other. The sermon emphasizes that the church is not just about the past, but about what they choose to do next.