We are God’s beloved. All of us. All of humanity and all of Creation are joined in beloved community.  Nothing can separate from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

Beloved Community Church, one part of the body of God, is an intentionally diverse congregation. We are an inclusive, grace-filled community where people from all walks of life come together to grow in relationship with God and with one another.  Beloved is a place of hope and discomfort, of joy and meaning. We seek healing and wholeness for ourselves, our city, and our world (Jeremiah 29:7, Matthew 25:35-40).

Together we embody a spectrum of race, age, and economic status.

We have physical disabilities and mental illness—and we don’t.

We are queer and straight, cisgender and transgender.

We speak English and other languages.

We come from every sort of church background—and no church background at all.

We live all over Birmingham and well beyond it.  

We have differences of belief, differences of opinion, and differences of style.

We endeavor to practice an incarnational love across all of these differences – and invite all who come with respect and an open heart into the joys and discomforts of diverse community. (Micah 6:8, Luke 10:25-36)

We encourage all who are involved in the life of Beloved, especially those who are in active covenant, to deepen their faith through spiritual disciplines such as worship, prayer and meditation, reading and conversation about scripture and other religious texts. Such routines of a spiritually-oriented life help us to pattern ourselves after the example of Jesus, even in a world preoccupied with ego-satisfaction, the accumulation of wealth, and the preservation of power and privilege.

While all people are welcome at Beloved Community Church, some behaviors are not. We take seriously our commitment to the safety and well-being of everyone, especially those whom our culture marginalizes. Expressions of white supremacy, patriarchy, transphobia, homophobia, ageism, ableism, economic discrimination, xenophobia, or religious bigotry are not welcome in forms subtle or blatant, verbal or embodied.  

While we have members who struggle with active addiction, anyone who is intoxicated or high on church property will be asked to leave the premises and not return until they are no longer acutely under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.

Conflict arises in any community, particularly one where we embody so many different relationships of cultural power and marginalization. Creating meaningful relationships of mutual trust requires us to seek healthy resolution when conflict does arise.

Our daily journey together is guided by the principles of our covenant, our commitment to restorative justice for all God’s people, and our efforts to embody what the apostle Paul called the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).