I was driving down the road several months ago
when I received a phone call. I took
the call wondering if it was something important that needed my attention, and
I was right. I am not very good at
doing well more than one thing at a time, so I pulled into a driveway leading
to a local church that was on my route
home. Once I had completed the call, I
made a u-turn in the church parking lot and began heading down the road toward
home. About an hour later, I got a call
from our local police department. They
asked if I was driving through that church parking lot earlier that day… gave
me a description of my car… and asked me what I was doing there. I
calmly explained to the officer that I had gotten a phone call and
wanted to give my full attention to it.
The officer then shared with me that someone had gotten my license tag
number and had called the police department reporting that a suspicious car and
person was in the church parking lot.
The officer seemed satisfied with my explanation that I had no ill will against
the church and we ended the conversation.
The substance of that phone call has lingered
with me perhaps because I pass by that church often as I make my way around our
community. I know for a fact that
members of that church invite people to
attend that church regularly because I have received an invitation to
attend from some of its members. I can
tell you that the chances of me visiting that church for any event now are
probably remote because of that experience with a well-intentioned church
member/citizen who was suspicious that I
was sitting in their parking lot for less than 5 minutes. I certainly do not fault that local police
officer who called as he was only doing his job for a concerned citizen, but I
do feel hurt that someone would have eagerly wanted me to come into their
church parking lot on Sunday morning but
was unhappy or suspicious that I was in their parking lot on a Saturday
morning.
One of the things that I hope Ann and I do
when anyone comes to our home is that we greet them warmly and make them feel
welcome. I hope that we bother to take
their coats in cold months… offer them a drink or snack… show them a place we
can sit and chat…and truly make them feel like we are glad they are there. On a Saturday morning a few months ago, I was made to feel that I was not welcome in
the parking lot of a local church much less in the building of a church. Do you and I make people who we do not know
welcome into our church building and into our Christian community? If your church and community of faith is not
growing, perhaps the problem is not just “those people” not coming to church
but perhaps it is “those people” at the church.
Have a joy-filled week- Pastor Randy Wall
Prayer:
O God, forgive us for the times we fail to show your love and care to
others. Help us to love one another in
not only what we say, but most of all in
what we do; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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