Skip to main content

We'll keep a welcome....!

I am aware that practising hospitality is one of my big 'things' when it comes to church, so you won't be surprised to discover my sadness on recently attending two different Sunday services, in two different places where, on arrival and departure I received not one single greeting from another church member...!

Arriving as a 'stranger' ( in one place, complete with 'wheelie' suitcase) you would have thought that people might have noticed me ( if only because of recent news stories of supicious luggage items having defastating effects!) but not one church member came and said "hello", "welcome", "Are you new to church?" (Even in one place where, after the service, I spent 20 minutes sipping my glass of champagne to celebrate someone's engagement!!!)

You can imagine the contrast, therefore, when later in the day I visited another church (seeking to grow its engagement with young people, families and all ages) where, between walking through the door and sitting down (2 mins max) no fewer than 3 people SMILED, said "HELLO!" or "WELCOME" and / or SHOOK MY HAND and INTRODUCED THEMSELVES!

God's loving acceptance of all ( even a sinner like me!) flowed through these people and I immediately felt 'at home'.....

You also don't need me to tell you, if I was a visitor looking for a church to belong to, which one I would return to....!?!

The delicate but precious art of welcome is SO important and its effects (for good or ill) ENORMOUS!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Give a "hug"....

A church in Speke (based in its own cafe) gives people "hugs" (personally and prayerfully knitted scarfs wrapped in a clear bag) complete with a personal dedicated card from the knitter. They're (freely) given out to anyone deemed to be in need of a "hug". Know someone who is "down", bereaved, recently divorced or having a hard time? Give 'em a "hug"... Just imagine how many "hugs" our local knitters could produce.....!
Post a Comment
Read more

CORDOBA - clever, cultured and cold....!

Travelling from the lush tropical rainforest of Iguazu to Argentina's second city, Cordoba, came as something of a shock! Firstly, there were all the usual trappings of a city - traffic, buildings, people, hustle and bustle. (The very comfortable but "simple" hotel was also a bit of a come down! Indeed, intermittent wifi has made sending blogs a challenge but, here we are...!) Although a travel cliche, Cordoba really is a fascinating mix of old and new... 17th century ecclesiastical buildings stand next to the latest shopping centres. CLEVER: Indeed, this city boasts a long established academic foundation: Manzana Jesuitica, Argentina's first university (so it claims!). The next door academic establishment, Colegio Nacional de Montserrat, with its baroque exterior walls, may be as old - it all depends on whether you consider the date building began or charters were established! Visiting the university's oldest library and being shown a 17th century bible...
1 comment
Read more

If God was a glacier...

Would I recognise within the purity of the whiteness, the whole spectrum of mercy and love hidden in that white light....? Would I stand in awe of the power veiled in the beauty...? Would I be open to this transforming force - shaping and re-shaping, removing all that stands in the way of changing, slowly and subtly taking all the 'boulders' of my 'baggage' and depositing them far away from my concerns...? Would I be prepared to pause, to stop and to listen out for the sounds of the secret symphony within, God promising hope that, even in the cold, painful moments, all will be ultimately well...? If God was a glacier, would I dare to visit, would I want to visit, knowing that, when we meet God, things will never quite be the same again...
1 comment
Read more