Faith, Inclusion, and Community Without Barriers | Community Comms Episode 6

In this episode of Community Comms, I sit down with Reverend Chris Warren, pastor of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to talk about faith, inclusion, community space, and what it means to build a church without barriers. First Cumberland Presbyterian Church has served Murfreesboro for more than 160 years, but today the congregation is also leaning into a clear and timely mission: offering the love of God through full inclusion to all people. In this conversation, Pastor Chris shares what it means to create a church community where people do not have to conform in order to belong. We also talk about the church as a community resource, the importance of opening physical space for local organizations, the challenges of leading through polarization, and why loving your neighbor is not a side mission of faith. It is central to the work. About Pastor Chris: Reverend Chris Warren began serving as Pastor of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Murfreesboro in June 2013. He holds a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School, a Master of Music from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Music from the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University. He has served in many capacities within local congregations, presbytery, and the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. He is married to Reverend Joy Warren, and they have two children, Grey and Micah. In this episode, we discuss: • Building a church without barriers • Faith, inclusion, and belonging • Creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals and families • Why community matters beyond Sunday morning • Using church buildings as community resources • Serving without making support transactional • Leading through political and cultural polarization • The challenge of public pushback • Learning grace in leadership • Music, woodworking, and finding renewal through finished projects • What gives Pastor Chris hope for the future of First Cumberland Connect with First Cumberland Presbyterian Church: Website: https://murfreesborocpc.org/who-we-are/ Facebook:   / murfreesborocpc   Instagram:   / fcpc_murfreesboro   Support the ministry: https://murfreesborocpc.org/give/ About Community Comms: Community Comms is a conversation series hosted by Debilee Flores exploring how leaders build, sustain, and strengthen communities across nonprofit work, business, faith, advocacy, and local service. Subscribe for more conversations on community building, communications, leadership, and the people doing meaningful work in the world. #CommunityComms #FirstCumberlandPresbyterian #FaithAndInclusion #communitybuilding #faithinaction #murfreesborotn