By Jeanne Beechwood
On May 1, the United Methodist Church voted on changes to make the church more welcoming. Some bans of exclusivity were over 40 years old.
In Kansas City, the Red Bridge United Methodist Church, located at 636 E. 117th street, has a brand new senior pastor who has found creative ways to make the church more welcoming to everyone. Pastor Jewell McGhee has been at the helm since July. She is asking others to join in their own faith walk and journey with her church where all members of the community can be accepted without judgment.
One of her current aspirations is through art. Being a professional artist herself, Pastor Jewell says, “I believe a piece of art stays with you longer than words.”
Pastor Jewell has worked for over a decade as a professional community artist using large scale art installations to build bridges for communities to bring growth and healing from difficult issues. Pastor Jewell’s award-winning art has been commissioned by the Missouri Regional Arts Commission and displayed in the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. Pastor Jewell’s artwork is diverse in medium, large in scale, and deeply integrated in faith, communities, justice, and curiosity.
She shares her art and visions with the church, encourages other artists within the church and adds art to banners, signage and the church bulletin. Her goal of speaking through art continues the church’s mission of promoting health and wellness, advocating for justice, discussing social issues and giving back.
The day of this interview, Pastor Jewell was creating art to speak to old and new church members and offer a warm reception. Numerous aerial silks had been donated to the church. Apparently the material stretches out over time and can no longer be used for aerial performances. Pastor Jewell was designing a beautiful rainbow display on the altar with the silks. It signified the changes as expressed by the governing laws of the United Methodist Church, by receiving with open arms the LGBT community. Pastor Jewell assures that Red Bridge United Methodist Church is a safe place filled with inclusivity.
Pastor Jewell is committed to community, church and conversation. She has observed the fear in people and hopes to help those in such challenging times. She believes there are no good decisions or conversations coming out of fear and plans to find new ways to bring in the community to engage them. Most recently she held an event for those dealing with loneliness. It included art and discussion.
The new artist to be featured at the church is Norma Brown. Brown, a church member, was highly encouraged by Pastor Jewell to be a part of the arts program with the church.
Brown will be displaying her original watercolor works. “It’s never too late to do and try something new,” says Pastor Jewell. “The success is accepting the challenge.”
Pastor Jewell is a powerhouse of positivity and says “I will welcome anyone who wants to be a part of the art and the church. I will continue to believe art lives by itself even without a sermon.”
Children are invited to participate in a worship experience created especially for them. In a fun and nurturing environment, they can learn about God’s great love through art, play and lessons from the Bible. The Red Bridge United Methodist Church also has a pre-school. They firmly believe in building positive role models and teaching that everyone is our neighbor.
The current parishioners at Red Bridge United Methodist Church seem to adore their new pastor.
Services, events and more can be found at their website redbridgeumc.org.
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