Oregon church does not want "excessive weight" on its worship team

A church in Oregon is drawing criticism on social media when a Facebook page called attention to its guidelines that forbade people with "excessive weight" from joining the worship team.

The New Creation Church in Hillsboro, Oregon, initially posted the "Worship Team Guidelines" on its website but it was later removed. However, a copy was made available elsewhere.

The guideline emphasized that appearance is an important aspect in leading the congregation in worship.

The church listed its requirements regarding dress codes, grooming and hygiene, attendance, attitude and holiness. Under grooming and hygiene, it required that the members should have "no excessive weight" to participate in the worship team.

"No Excessive weight. Weight is something that many people have to deal with. Make sure that you are taking care of your temple, exercising and eating properly," the guideline stated.

The church also forbade excessive piercings, visible tattoos, sloppy hairdos and tight skirts. The guidelines also recommended the use of deodorant but forbade the use of excessive perfumes.

Under its requirement for dress code, it stated: "We want the worship team to look the best they can! Remember that the way we look is of utmost importance. We are the first thing the congregation sees."

The document started to receive negative comments on social media when it was posted on a Facebook page called Stuff Christian Culture Likes on Sept. 30.

"Nothing but Old Spice and Weight Watchers can wash away your sins," one commenter wrote.

New Creation Church Pastor Rebecca Sundholm said in an interview with Oregon Live that the guidelines had been on the website for a long time.

"What's funny is this has nothing to do with anybody else but our church," she said. "If anybody looked at our worship team, they would see they aren't all skinny," she added.

Sundholm stated that the guidelines had been written by the worship leader a few years back and added that it is not even being enforced anymore. She insisted that the church has its standards and said that critics have taken the guidelines out of context.