You Said Hello
Word from Wiese
29 November 2023
Pivot. This week American Christians pivot from Thanksgiving to Advent.
But as I’m bringing out my Advent wreath from storage and searching for fresh candles, let my tongue flow with “thanksgiving” just a few moments longer.
Thank you, faith friends, for . . .
What YOU bring to the joy of the body of Christ.
Inviting friends and family to come sit with you on Sunday.
Letting your light shine in world that can feel dark.
Ensuring your children come to church to live into their baptismal identities with Jesus.
Connecting with some type of small groups around bible study, service, crafting, fellowship or more.
Sharing your gifts as a musician, greeter, usher, host or some type of leader who enriches our Sunday experience.
Being patient when there are glitches.
Arriving early on Sunday to help serve or foster some conversations.
Supporting our church financially. (As of this writing, we are just 11 family units short of our goal of 150 sharing giving intents. We celebrate we hit our goal of 100 family units continuing or singing up for regular online offerings!)
Supporting those in needs of our neighbors, locally and globally, whether they believe what we believe or ever attend our church.
Praying for each other, our church, and the whole human family God parents.
Thank you for the trust and support you offer your pastors and lay leadership.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
One more word of gratitude along with a challenge: First, thanks for making COS a welcoming place in a world where all of us can easily feel unwelcome. Secondly, can we embrace the opportunity to up our game?
They say there are two sides to every coin. Can one side of a coin be larger? If so, I think the larger side of the COS hospitality coin is the strong articulation of visitors and new members regarding how welcome they felt at COS. Indeed, one of them made a video thanking COS for being the friendliest church they’ve ever visited! So many of you enact the “two-minute drill,” using the first 2 minutes after a service to reach out to somebody you don’t know yet.
However, last week, I heard the coin’s flip side. Following up with a visitor and sharing my hope that she felt welcomed, she responded that actually, no, she did not. She wrote, “Unfortunately, I did not feel welcome the two times I visited COS. Other than during “sharing the peace”, nobody said anything to me. I did not feel welcome.” Ouch.
Friends, what do you say we turn that lemon into lemonade? We could chalk it up to the old adage that every exception proves a rule. But, instead, why don’t we allow this visitor’s honesty to motivate all of us to “kick up a notch” our welcoming efforts at COS?
Mary and Joseph initially did not feel welcomed in Bethlehem. And in last Sunday’s gospel from Matthew, Jesus said, “even as you welcome a stranger, you welcome me.” (Matt. 25) So, would you join me in accepting a hospitality challenge in this important season coming up at COS to make Jesus feel welcome by making those around us feel welcome?
We’ll have plenty of opportunities! At this Sunday’s children’s musical, we might not know if the person next to us is a child’s visiting out-of-town family member or a long-term COS worshiper we’ve never ye had the chance to meet. At the Moravian Love Feasts or Christmas Eve services or Hops & Hymns, we’ll be surrounded by folks we’ve never seen before. Regardless, can we offer a word of hello? Can we introduce ourselves? Can we offer a friendly question or compliment to the worshiper next to us?
In addition to Jesus’ encouragement about the formula, “treatment of others = treatment of Jesus,” Hebrews 13.2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (ESV)
Reaching out in Advent by reaching out to others, with you,
Pastor Fritz
