In the fall of 2009, a group of faithful people gathered to discuss the possibility of forming a new community of faith. We dreamed of a place where people can share their doubts, questions, passions, joys, and  ponderings...a community that values faith over belief… a place that welcomes all and especially resonates with those who have been excluded from churches or called  heretics for their journey with God.

After a few months of conversation and dreaming, we realized how important it was to form a community of progressive Christians who wished to journey with others.  We realized that so many people hold faith in Jesus as the lens in which to see God, but need a place with broader interpretation for their journey.  We needed a community that would reach out to the needs of the neighborhood and world.

We began having small group studies and worship celebrations at Susan’s house.  We loved the intimacy, the safety of expressing our faith, and the ability to worship using a variety of ancient and contemporary styles.

We put together a statement of identity helping to share with others who we are.

• We are grounded in the Jesus tradition and we revere Jesus as a lens through which we experience God. We honor Christian scripture -- its teachings and stories -- as having profound truths for our lives.
• We respect the diversity of interpretations within our faith and we are open to new revelations and insights through biblical study and scholarship.
• We believe spiritual seeking to be a deeply personal life-long journey which is strengthened by open dialog, questions and doubts, and exploring of ideas within a community of seekers.
• We affirm that there is no one absolute way to conceptualize God for all people and that mere words will never fully define or capture the divine. We seek insight and wisdom wherever they are found.
• We strive to promote peace, justice, reconciliation, and wholeness both within our homes and across the globe. We seek to extend grace, compassion and mercy to all people and especially to the poor and needy among us.
• We recognize the interconnectedness of all living things and that human beings are but one part of a wondrous whole of God's creation. We believe we have a sacred responsibility to preserve, restore and honor our earthly environment.
• We celebrate diversity and welcome the full participation of any person who seeks to be a part of our community.
• We are open to all and closed to none.
• We acknowledge that controversy and challenges are a natural part of relationships, and we are committed to working through conflicts within a safe and respectful community. We will strive to learn from each other and grow with one another.

Inclusion Community continues to form and emerge.  We are excited to gather as people of faith, listen to each other, share, and encourage one another on our journeys.

We are a part of The United Methodist Church.  The Western NC Conference of The United Methodist Church has put an emphasis on starting new communities of faith in the next few years.  We are one of those new communities.  Davidson United Methodist Church is our sponsoring church.  They are helping support with financial giving and administrative support as well as supporting the mission of Inclusion Community.  The Mission of The WNCC UMC is to Follow Jesus, Make Disciples and Transform the World.  We feel we are living out that mission perfectly!

On Sunday mornings we gather as a community in a circle to sing, pray, hold one another up, listen, share, and prepare to go share God’s love in the world.  Here is what some people have been saying about their experience with Inclusion:

"It felt like an extension of my life, not some out of context thing that happens on Sunday morning."

"I love Inclusion - the spiritual pilgrimage that I'm sharing and the soft place to face the hard stuff."

"I've been looking for a place that would allow conversation about God.  I'm glad that is a part of worship."