Open The Door, A Little Wider

 Open the Door, A Little Wider

  For the wanderers, the herders, and the tricksters

  For twelve sons of one father and 4 women

  For their quarreling, headstrong, frustrating children 

  For their tenacious, faithful, welcoming children 

Open the door a little wider

  For the family of faith

  For their nearest neighbors

  For outcasts who joined them

  For faithful who wanted a deeper connection

  For the neighbors a little farther away

    For the neighbors a long way off.

Open the door a little wider

  For those who share our customs and our food

  For those who drifted from the traditions

  For those who were left out or left behind

  For those who never knew the customs

  For those who never ate the way we did and do

Open the door a little wider

  For the ones who made the rules

  For those who adjusted the rules

  For those who called the rules into question

  For those who could not follow ALL the rules

  For those broke the rules and came back.

  For those who never knew the rules but wanted a deeper connection 

Open the door a little wider

  For the old and young, 

and the days in-between 

  For the men and women

and those who are both and neither

  For those who fit in.

and those who have not found their place

  For the seekers,

and for the sought

  For the lost

and for the found

Open the door a little wider

  For everyone made in the image of god

  For every soul looking for a place to belong

  For everyone should be welcome here