Dear friends in Christ,
Last Sunday I visited a church to hear a preacher. It turns out I’m married to the preacher, so I wanted to hear her! I thought the sermon was excellent, but that’s not the point of this week’s reflection.
Sherilyn (my spouse) was preaching at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Terrace Park, OH. Very few people know me there, so I got the same welcome as any guest. They did a fantastic job of welcoming me, so I wanted to hold up their good example.
First, as I approached the building, a couple who were leaving warmly greeted me, having spotted me as someone they didn’t recognize. When I paused to look at the church door (I was thinking of taking a photo of it), they noticed my glance and assured me I was at the right spot to go in.
Inside, I think four or five people introduced themselves and welcomed me. No one asked any prying questions. They indicated they were glad I was there, and a couple of people asked what brought me there on this day. Perfectly lovely.
An older gentleman said something like, “I’m __, and I don’t think I know your name. Are you visiting here this morning? Or maybe you’ve been coming for 20 years and I’ve missed you.” It was self-deprecating and sweet. So often when I ask people who they don’t greet guests, they say they’re afraid of “getting it wrong.” Friends, sincerity and warmth are rarely wrong!
I’ve been to other churches—and heard many tales from others—where no one says a word. That kind of invisibility isn’t the way of the Gospel! It’s possible to be “too friendly” but that’s perhaps less of a danger than just not noticing.
What impressed me about St. Thomas is that the culture of welcome is clearly well established. It wasn’t the greeter, or the priest, or some “special person.” Rather, the whole community noticed me as a guest and offered the love of God in real form.
How is your church? In my experience, the only way to know is to get a total stranger to show up and test the welcome. If you’re looking for a good model, be like St. Thomas. It’s no wonder they’re thriving, alive with the love of God and neighbor.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
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