School of Love

Roger Joslin arrived in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2006 as a newly ordained deacon to become the vicar of All Saints Episcopal Church, a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas. All Saints has grown to be the fifth-largest congregation in the Diocese of Arkansas, with an average Sunday attendance of over 230, and is well on its way to parish status. All Saints' location in Bentonville, the home of Walmart, adds another layer to the story. Joslin makes a powerful case for the role of a progressive Episcopal church in a conservative culture and for the appeal of preaching and practicing a gospel of inclusion that reaches out to groups or individuals who have been marginalized by churches.  
  
\* Model for reaching out to the community with a gospel of love and welcome  
\* Hope for those who think a progressive church can't succeed in a conservative culture. Helps identify those who feel like outsiders in those culturesRead less