Musings of a Visitor

I will never look at visitors the same way again!  I never really thought much about people visiting a congregation.  As a staff person I always tried to greet them warmly and show them what I thought was hospitality.  I was always glad visitors came and hoped they would return.  What I did not realize was how much thought and effort it took for a visitor to show up at a congregation.

I have to assume that most visitors have the same experience I have had over the past several months of visiting congregations.  There is a lot of effort that goes into getting to the door of a church.  First, you have to decide whether or not you are going to attend church that week.  Unlike many congregational members, visitors do not have any commitments or expectations to be present in worship on a Sunday morning.  Visitors can truly decide they just are not going to attend worship-no on is expecting them to be there.  

Once a visitor has decided to attend worship they must decide what congregation to worship with.  My guess is that many visitors get online and do some research about congregations in their area.  They look at the practical things like what time worship begins, how far away is the congregation, is it easy to find, etc.  They might also factor in what other things are going on in the life of a congregation that apply to them or their family as well as what type of worship experience they can expect to have.  This takes a fair amount of time and effort.

On Sunday morning (or other day or time) a visitor may spend the morning wondering how they will be treated when they enter the building.  Will they be greeted warmly?  Will the be bombarded and overwhelmed by the congregation?  Will people engage them in conversation during fellowship or will they have to find the courage to do so themselves?  Will they feel the congregation truly was happy to have them be part of their community?

Visitors might also ponder other questions as they prepare to worship in a congregations.  Will they know  where to go?  Will they be able to fully participate in worship or will they feel like an outsider because they did not know the words to a prayer, litany or hymn?  What am I going to say about why I am visiting this congregation?  How much of myself and my story do I want to reveal to these strangers?  What do I want to know about the congregation I am visiting?  What factors will compel me to return again and again?

It is my experience it takes a lot of time and effort (both mentally and emotionally) to be a visitor!  I wish more congregations would put as much if not more time, thought, and effort in to those visiting their congregations.  I want congregations to understand and acknowledge the time and effort it takes visitors to show up for worship!  In the future when I visitor “shows up” at the congregation I am a part of I will stop and make the effort to really express my gratitude for their presence with us, genuinely take interest in them as a child of God by engaging them in meaningful conversation, and lastly pray for them. 

May we all think of visitors to our congregations as children of God!

Friday Photographs

Once

In a while

God cuts loose His purse strings,

Gives a bing wink to my orchestra.

Hafiz

does not require

Any more prompting than that

To let

Every instrument inside

Go

Beserk.

Hafiz

Friday Photographs

"Come follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men"

Matthew 4:19

Friday Photographs

Man should forget his anger before he lies down to sleep.

-Thomas De Quincey

Friday Photographs

This

Union you want

With the earth and sky,

This union we all need with love,

A golden wing from God's heard just

Touched the ground,

Now

Step upon it

With your brave sun-vows

And help our eyes

To

Dance!

-Hafiz

Friday Photographs

"Let there be space in your togetherness. Let the winds of the heavens dance between you." 

Kahlil Gibran

Radical Acceptance

A few months ago my sister in law posted two words as her Facebook status- “radical acceptance.”  I had heard the phrase “radical hospitality” but not “radical acceptance.”  I was very intrigued by the statement and began pondering what this means for me as a Child of God.  Radical acceptance has a different connotation as well as additional implications for Christians.  

In order to better understand for myself the idea of radical acceptance I decided to use my trusty computer dictionary to look up the definition of each word.  According to the dictionary when something is radical it is “characterized by departure from tradition [and is] innovative or progressive.”  The idea here is that there is a change in the fundamental nature of what is being described as radical.  Acceptance is defined as “the action or process of being received as adequate or suitable, typically to be admitted into a group.”  Radical acceptance can be viewed as a fundamental change that is innovative or progressive in the nature of the action or process of being received as adequate or suitable in to a specific group.

As Christians we are called into radical acceptance.  We are called to be transformational in our thoughts and actions.  We are called to transform the way our culture views the concept of acceptance.  Jesus was perfect embodiment of radical acceptance. Jesus healed those were the culture viewed as not healable.  He ate meals with sinners.  He touched those who the culture said were impure.  He loved those who were not lovable.  Jesus’ full acceptance of those in society who were considered unacceptable is epitomizes radical acceptance.  

How do we as Children of God embody radical acceptance in todays culture?  Our culture tells us to accept only those who are like us and agree with us.  It tells us to accept others only if it will benefit the group the way WE want it to.  It tells us to accept the status quo.  If we as Christians want to embody radical acceptance we must do as Jesus did.  We must seek out those who our culture deems unacceptable.  We must see them through God’s lens and see them as the perfectly spiritual beings they truly are!  When we are able to see them in this way we can then accept them as Children God.  They will become an essential member of our family or faith community.  Remember God calls us to embody radical acceptance everyday!

In what ways can you embody radical acceptance?  In what ways can our congregations embody radical acceptance?