Just as I did last month, I need to begin
with big “thank you”—this time, to all those who made possible and attended my Installation
Service on Sunday afternoon, May 23 and the reception that followed. On behalf
of my family, I also want to thank the congregation for its wonderful gifts of
the Ann Vasilik print of Church Street and the collection of books. You
continue to overwhelm us with your gracious hospitality and generosity!
I recently came across an article published
a few years ago in the periodical The Christian Century — PLAY IT SAFE: Avoid riding in automobiles because they are
responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents. Do not stay home because 17% of all
accidents occur in the home. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14%
of all accidents occur to pedestrians. Avoid travelling by air, rail or water
because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation. You will be
pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services at
church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.
Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given time
is at church. Even fewer deaths occur during Bible study. For safety’s sake,
attend church and read your Bible!
This tongue-in-cheek article struck a
cord with me as I ponder the concept of hospitality,
especially as it applies to our location here in downtown Asheville. Even
though we may feel safe and secure in the church, there are many who don’t feel
welcome. In fact, on Sunday mornings many of our neighbors are elsewhere.
The problem is not, of course, about
physical fear—after all, we don’t come to church to escape car accidents!
Instead, there are other deep fears and anxieties that keep folks away from the
church. Perhaps it is a fear of the unknown, or a fear of the being bored or
rejected. Some people simply do not know what happens in a church community and
others have never been asked. Others still remember a bad experience at the
church of their childhood.
One of our most central tasks in the
Church is to practice hospitality—both to those within our congregation and
those outside. At it’s most basic, hospitality is the sacred act of “making
room” for strangers in our midst. Jesus did this again and again in his
ministry, making hospitality central to the message of the gospel. God’s
kingdom, we learn, is first a place of gracious welcome for all.
The hospitality of others played a
significant role in my own faith journey. On our first visit to Trinity
Presbyterian in Santa Cruz, CA more than 20 years ago, Pat and I were welcomed
warmly and genuinely into the community. From the first moment we set foot in
that church, there was ‘room’ made for us. That gift of hospitality has had
life-changing ramifications for me.
What can we as individuals and as a
congregation do? It’s been suggested that there are two ‘hospitality” questions
that can be asked about any encounter we have a stranger or one who is unknown
to us: 1) “Did we see Christ in them?”
and 2) “Did they see Christ is us?”
Practicing the ancient custom of
hospitality in our postmodern world is a difficult task, but one that we as
follower of Jesus are uniquely qualified to carry out. An old Dutch proverb put
it well: “If there is room in the heart, there is room in the house.”
Peace
and grace,
Mark
