Some friends of mine wrote a book, Widening the Welcome of Your Church. This book was written a few years ago and both of my friends have died but the words they wrote still ring true for us. The main emphasis was hospitality. Much like when you invite someone into your home for a chance to get to know them, the welcome we give new neighbors and friends to our homes is the way we should welcome people into the church.

 

As a congregation in transition the thing I hear from you is that you would like to attract new people to join us for this journey we are all on, our faith journey, particularly Sunday morning Worship. One of the ways that the book suggests that we show hospitality is by inviting people to join us on Sunday morning. Both of my friends start the book by telling how their parents welcomed people into their home and how they took that opportunity to invite everyone to join them in the celebration of God’s grace through worship of Jesus.

 

As we get back into our fall and winter schedules if will be easier to invite people to join us for worship. I invite you to look at the people in your community and invite them into your home to share a meal and then invite them into your church home so they can share in Christ’s generosity to us.

 

We have around 9 weeks until we enter the Advent Season, December 1, 2024.  As we enter the Advent season, how can our church become a house where the Holy will be born anew–offering respite, sustenance and care, opening the doors ever wider to those seeking shelter from the onslaught of life? As we celebrate this wonderful season let us “make room in the inn,” enjoying the lonely and frightened spaces that are filled with the light of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This would be a great time to invite your friends and even family members to join us. 

 

I would like to thank all the people that helped with the Re-shaped series: Myra for her artistic interpretation of the theme for our worship center, Shelly and the choir for the music, Eric for playing our Change is Good song. I also thank all our readers of the contemporary text. Working together we create a worship experience we want to invite people to.  

 

 

Peace & Love

Allen R. Kahler, Pastor