Gays welcome at service

Paddington Uniting Church on Oxford St is welcoming the gay and lesbian community to a light-hearted Christmas celebration this Sunday.
It’s a first Christmas Together event conducted with St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Oxford St and St George’s Anglican Church at Five-Ways.
“We’ll have what I’m modestly calling the world’s most spontaneous nativity play. We’ll probably recruit some of the cast in the first 15 minutes of the service,” Uniting Church Rev. Warwick Cadenhead said. Carols will be led by the St Francis choir.
The local parishes, situated in one of the gayest, most diverse populations, and which include gay and lesbian families, are using this service to commit to working together. Paddington Uniting Church recently hosted an election debate on same-sex issues.
Cadenhead said a commitment to tolerance and inclusion was a local decision for each church community, and a Uniting Church just a few suburbs away could be less welcoming.
“Not every Roman Catholic or Anglican agrees with everything their bishop says. That’s fairly common. So we find we have a fair amount in common with St George’s and St Francis.”
Christmas Together will be held Sunday 16 December, 5:30pm at Paddington Uniting Church, 395 Oxford St. Optional BYO costumes for kids who want to be in the nativity play.