When Pastor Adam Ericksen arrived at Clackamas United Church of Christ in Milwaukie, Oregon, he saw a problem—people noticed the church building, but they didn’t know what it stood for. So he got to work.
“I came to the Clackamas United Church of Christ about a year and a half ago and realized that we needed to get our message out into the neighborhood,” Pastor Adam told Bored Panda.
He launched a fundraiser to install a sign out front and began crafting short, striking messages that would reflect the church’s true values. The result? A series of statements that were funny, fearless, and deeply rooted in the idea that everyone—everyone—deserves love and acceptance.
“People began to stop as they drove by to thank me for the messages,” he said. “But I didn’t know it would have an online impact, too.”
"People are thirsty for something deeper."
— Pastor Adam Ericksen
Faith that challenges exclusion
Pastor Adam’s church signs walk a line between humor and theology, often skewering hypocrisy, injustice, and outdated dogma with just a few words. But more than anything, they center on love and justice—especially for those who’ve been left out or pushed out by traditional faith spaces.
“I decided that we needed to be bold with our message of love and inclusion, especially for those who are marginalized, especially by religion,” he explained. “My goal is to be part of a larger movement that is reframing or redefining Christianity so that it's based on God's love for all people, but especially those who are marginalized.”
That movement is growing. Churches like Clackamas United Church of Christ are part of a broader wave of progressive faith communities who believe Jesus’ original message was never about exclusion—it was about radical, barrier-breaking love.
"Love shouldn't be the exception."
— Pastor Adam's sign
Viral messages of kindness
The Clackamas church has become something of a spiritual beacon, especially for people who have been hurt by religion in the past. The signs give people permission to imagine a different kind of Christianity—one that doesn’t ask them to change who they are to be accepted.
Across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, Pastor Adam’s messages continue to spread. He posts them weekly, and each one is a snapshot of the church’s deep-rooted theology: love above all.
And love, as it turns out, is something a lot of people are searching for.
As Pastor Adam puts it, “The truth of the Gospel is that all people are loved. The sin is when we start treating certain people and groups as if they are not loved. We are merely seeking to follow Jesus in the best way we can.”
"We’re just trying to follow Jesus."
— Pastor Adam Ericksen
Spreading the message
Here are just a few of the powerful and playful signs that have made Clackamas UCC internet-famous:
If Pastor Adam's signs resonate with you, share them. Or better yet—ask your own faith community how it can better reflect love and inclusion. Because that’s where real change begins.
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It shouldn't have needed saying, but just cause it's candy colored doesn't mean it's edible. 