Bob - yes, by all means, I know there are some people in our community who wouldn't couldn't bring themselves to go through our doors, for all sorts of reasons.

For several years I organised a fundraising concert for Habitat for Humanity, with musicians of all faiths and none playing their music for a good cause. I have good relationships with many people in the folk music community in our city (of which, of course, I am a part), and they were happy to help out. Some didn't have a problem performing in a church, others told me that it was a psychological barrier to get across when they first arrived. To me that was part of the benefit of the event - helping people on all sides have the courage to start crossing barriers.

I understand that we have some beliefs about God and Jesus that many people in the folk music community don't share; that's fair enough (and it works the other way too!). But when I think of how we try to live out those beliefs in our church - trying to help the poor and needy, trying to be a community that welcomes strangers, learning to love our enemies and be peacemakers etc. etc. - well, I think in many ways it's very compatible with the ethos of folk music.

But I appreciate your sharing your thoughts, and would be glad to hear any ideas you might have about how we can build better bridges, while continuing to live out our respective beliefs with integrity.

Tim