Sunday Webinar: How can we better welcome single people?

This Sunday, as part of our series on Welcoming ALL Families, author and ministry professional Beth Knobbe will join us to talk about making our communities more welcoming to single people. Cristena Cleveland, a racial justice organizer, wrote on her blog that a commitment to embracing diversity, whether it be racial diversity or welcoming unmarried members of you congregation, requires us to acknowledge that there are experiences different than our own. "Like marriage, singleness is complex. The challenges and joys of singleness are equal to but different than the challenges and joys of marriage." She writes that when Church decision making is dominated by married couples, it shows up in programming that sees single people as an "after thought" and doesn't recognize their needs, gifts or experiences.

Beth's book, Party of One: Living Single with Faith, Purpose and Passion addresses the many myths that single people face. "So often we singles are not taken seriously." She says, "Despite having very fulfilling and successful lives, singles are viewed as unfinished, flawed, naive or selfish. Furthermore, being single in today's world can be, at times, downright painful, lonely and frustrating."

As the Bishops meet in Rome to talk about ministry to the family, join us this Sunday to talk about making our own communities more welcoming! Register here and take a look at the discussion guide to keep the conversation going!