Welcomed

Laura Digan November 06, 2024 6 3

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Romans 16: 2 (NRSVA)

2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

Paul encouraged the Romans to receive Phoebe in the Lord, in the way worthy of the saints. The welcome we receive in church matters. First impressions count. I won’t name names as I don’t want to embarrass anyone but I want to share with you two examples of churches I experienced when I was looking for churches to spend my probationary training in. 

A colleague suggested I might want to spend time working alongside another woman so I went to visit a large church that had a female minister that my colleague recommended. This church was in an affluent town a number of miles from my hometown so no one knew me there. When I arrived no one welcomed me. The people on the door were talking to each other and didn’t acknowledge me. I sat down inside the church and no one spoke to me. No one noticed that I was new. I felt very awkward, an outsider.  At the end of the service no one spoke to me. I left feeling like I shouldn’t have been there. 

Contrast this to another church I visited a few weeks later. This time it was a small church that was within a poor area of Glasgow. I wanted to be incognito and just experience the worship but the welcome I received from the beginning was beautiful. I was acknowledged when I arrived. Seeing I was new, the person on the door took the time to explain what happens within the church and what to expect. When I sat down someone came over to speak to me, to genuinely get to know me. At the end I was included in the after service hospitality. I felt seen, heard and valued. What a difference. 

Later as a minister I had to visit that first church. The welcome couldn’t have been more different from my initial experience. As a minister I was seen and acknowledged. People went out of their way to help me. They were motivated to welcome me because of my position. 

Prayer:

Holy Spirit,

Open the eyes of my heart today. 

Challenge me to see who I welcome 

Challenge me to see who I value.

Do I see and welcome the stranger? 

Amen