FISHING: “May the holes in your net be no larger than the fish in it.” Irish blessing
SCRIPTURE: “The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12
REFLECTION: University towns are communities that seem to be ever in transition. Students pour into town in late summer and depart again in late spring. Professors and staff come and go. As a counterpoint to this seasonal ebb and flow, Boulder seems to steadily grow: Young families move here to fill the thousands of tech, aerospace, and pharmaceutical jobs, and retirees are drawn by the natural beauty, hospitable weather and a proximity to children and grand kids.
At St John’s, new people come through the red doors every single Sunday. It is so commonplace it sometimes escapes notice, and yet in many Episcopal churches in the country a new face in church would be cause for trumpets, confetti, and celebration. We are richly blessed and I think sometimes we don’t fully realize the blessing. When it comes to welcoming new members and incorporating them into our community of faith, the “holes in our net” are larger than they need to be and so I sometimes see fish swimming right on through as people move on to find a church where it feels easier to integrate.
Becoming part of a community of faith in a large church like St John’s takes work on the part of both sides—the new member and the community members. I try to meet with as many new or potential members as I can, I encourage them to get involved in a ministry, and I connect them with leaders of the ministries in which they express interest. Getting involved in a ministry is a good way to meet people, make friends, and feel like part of the parish.
And yet it is not the only way. It’s also incumbent upon us church members to do some work to help newcomers find their place in our faith community. It’s tempting to delegate the incorporation of new members to a team of parishioners who feel called to evangelism and hospitality, but in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul points out that all of us are gifted so that we might build up the body of Christ.
If this is so then every single member of St John’s has a calling and responsibility to help welcome and integrate new and prospective members. In practical terms at St John’s here are some examples of what that could mean:
+ Every Sunday you’re in church, look for someone sitting or standing alone and introduce yourself.
+ Ask how long he or she has been coming to church here. If the answer is, “I’m new” or some variation of “not long”, ask if you can help answer any questions about the church. Introduce the person to a member of the clergy, vestry, or staff.
+ Share with the person what it is you love about St John’s—i.e. why it is that you come here.
+ Before worship begins, take note of who is sitting in front of you, and to your right and left. If during the service you notice them struggling to find the right page in prayer book or hymnal, smile and help them.
These are small things but if everyone did them the holes in our net would likely shrink in size. It’s not my aim to grow our church membership roster bigger and bigger until we reach some imaginary magic number. Rather it is my aim to teach all of us to fully embrace every single soul God graciously brings through our doors. Each newcomer is an unexpected gift from God and part of my role as pastor is to urge us to open our eyes to the abundance God is placing before us.
PRAYER: God, the world is hungry for you. You draw into your church those who are ready to be fed, and yet for many walking through our doors is entrée into a world unknown. Give us the eyes to spot those who come seeking, the hearts to help assuage their discomfort, the smile to reassure them that you are, you are good, and that through the Holy Spirit you are present. Help us to receive them with kindness and joy, so that if they are meant to journey with us for a time, their feet find a sure place in our community of faith. Help us to live awake and aware, from a place of quiet confidence and not fear. With gratitude we pray. Amen.
