The Welcome Zone
Construction zones almost always try my patience. I diligently get in the correct lane, as soon as I see the sign and try to wait patiently. Almost always, though, there is someone who drives past all who are waiting, and not slowly, of course. When they get to the front of the line, then they slow down and turn their signal on, waiting for someone to let them in line. Just once I would love for them not to be able to get in line, but someone always lets them in, like me, because my conscious wouldn’t let me not do it. Sometimes it feels like a construction zone here for our visitors waiting patiently until someone welcomes them. If they are not welcomed, many will just leave thinking we are an unfriendly church. I have been told that several times in the past year, and it breaks my heart. I cannot talk to everyone by myself, before or after worship, so people get missed.…
Helping Hearts
Some people have helping hearts. My friend loves to do just that; she helps people in her work, here at church, in our small group and with her family. She does it with a wonderful attitude of “what can I do for you.” She often reminds me that she is here to help out; all I have to do is ask. However, not everyone is so willing to help. Some will say “I’ve helped enough; do not ask me to help again for the rest of the month,” or “did it once and I won’t do it again.” I’ve had people tell me they won’t do something and others seek me out to ask me if they can help. I know not everyone can be like those who want to always help, but let’s not be so eager to say “no.” Before you say “no” when asked to do something, please thoughtfully consider before responding.
Getting Your Feet Wet
Years ago as a family, when my girls were small, we would go ice fishing. Perry would open up several holes to fish in and start fishing, while I would try to fish and watch the girls playing in the snow. The girls would run around, make houses in the snow and play with the fish being caught. We would remind them often to watch out for fishing holes and not go too far from mom or dad. As they would play one of them or both of them would step into a fishing hole and get one or both feet wet before it was time to go home. I was usually prepared for this and brought with us dry socks and bread bags. We would change out of the wet socks, put dry ones on, with bread bags over them, and the feet would go back into the boots, after dumping all the water out. Getting your feet wet was the cost of being together as an ice-fishing family, and being prepared for wet feet was part of that.…
A Christmas Welcome
As a little girl, I remember going to my mother’s parents for Christmas. The house was filled with family: my plump, white haired great-grandmother sitting in the kitchen, my aunts and uncles all over the place, and lots of my cousins everywhere. We were welcomed with noisy love and warmth. When we would go to my father’s parents for Christmas, it was much quieter: my grandparents, my parents, my brother, my great uncle, and my slim, gray haired great grandmother sitting in her chair in the living room. We were welcomed into a home filled with a quiet love of hugs, kisses and tender talks. These are my most precious memories, different but the same: Welcome and love flowed through these homes....
Thankfully Receiving
Have you ever received a gift and you were not really excited or even thankful for it. But soon after receiving the gift you realized it was what you needed. I know that has happened to me. One Christmas my mother-in-law gave us a cooking pot with a lid, just one mind you and we had a set already. I thanked her for all the gifts, but was thinking in the back of my mind, “what will I do with this one pot and lid.” That summer that pot and lid came in very handy....
Showing Hospitality
I have a wonderful friend who opens her house up to our small group almost every Thursday. We knock, letting ourselves in, making her dog bark, and piling our shoes in the entry way. On really, really cold nights, like last winter, she has her husband start a fire for us, so we would have a toasty warm room to have our Bible study in. My friend has the gift of hospitality and it shows every time we meet at her house. Another friend also has the gift of hospitality in church. While she ushers, she greets everyone and talks to as many people as she can. Most of the time she isn’t standing by her door giving out announcement pages, but standing out in the narthex, making sure everyone is greeted and welcomed to church. She can talk to complete strangers as though they are like family or long lost friends. What a wonderful gift of hospitality my friends have.
These are just two examples of hospitality that show how we as Christians should act toward others. Each one of us has the gift of hospitality, only some more than others. Everyone can welcome someone they don’t know during giving of the peace, or just saying “I’m glad your worshiping with us today.” One area our church needs to work on is hospitality and it is up to everyone to do it, not just a few out in the narthex or by a door....
Photo credit: octaviolopez on morguefile
It’s the People
Pastor Karyn really had a system down for making root beer floats during the Volunteer Appreciation Picnic this summer. She lined up the glasses, put a little bit root beer in the bottom, added a scoop of ice cream and then topped it off with more root beer. It was beautiful to watch her with such efficiency and the those waiting in anticipation for such goodness. It was a blessing and joy to thank our volunteers at the picnic, watching them enjoy the wonderful food and delicious root beer floats.
I asked our volunteers why they keep volunteering and it was very insightful, but not surprising to learn the answers. Some answered, “It’s fun,” others, “I like to help out,” while still more said, “It makes me feel good”....
Worship Training for Ushers, Communion Servers, Readers, and Projectionists THIS Sunday
Everyone who has helped and everyone interested in helping in any if these areas are to attend the training. Pastor Karyn and Kathryn will provide the training and answer any questions. August 24 between services...
Entertaining Angels
It was a very snowy windy day, as we were traveling back from Chicago, so we stayed behind a semi-truck most of the way back home. As we followed the semi-truck, we thought of the semi driver as our angel. Whenever some stranger helps me, I think of that person as an angel that God has placed there to help me. It's a wonderful thought that there are angels out there to help us when we are in need and to protect us when we are in trouble. Angels are also those who are strangers to us, those who don't look like us or act like us, that might need our help. When we show kindness to a stranger in our homes, at church and anywhere we are, we might be entertaining an angel without knowing it....
Pilgrimage! Me?
I never would have seen myself going on a pilgrimage of any kind, until Pastor Karyn talked it to me. It sounded like a great opportunity to learn, travel and serve. Now I am excited to be leaving in a couple of weeks, traveling with family, friends, and soon to be friends by the end of the trip. We will be learning about the early Lutheran church in America and our history through tours. We will also be serving others in Philadelphia. I am really looking forward to serving at the Lutheran Settle House and the Welcome Church. I don’t know yet how we will serving, but I know whatever God has planned for us will be a wonderful opportunity to share God’s love with others....