A few random thoughts…
I went to a church today, alone and new, which for me, are both things that I am used to. I actually relish the thought of going somewhere that I am not known, being an anonymous face in the crowd. For those that do have a regular community of faith though, let me remind you of something important. It is so important to make new people feel welcome. Candles, dark rooms, worship leaders who are so hip that they cant see their toes… these things do not equal “community,” “authenticity” or any of the other buzz words that seem to proliferate so many church mission statements. The singular aspect of a community of believers that actually transforms these words to the reality of the vision is this: hospitality. Without the simplicity of a smile, a sincere hello, these other words fall empty. Let’s not forget that Jesus was most comfortable in the margins, and really, margins exist not only outside of the church, but also within, when we form cliques, when we are more concerned about our friends and we forget that there are new people there, searching to fit in and become a part of the community.
My next thought is simple:
I love reading people’s blogs. So many of the ones that I read are friends of mine, but others are people that I know within two degree’s of separation. This keeps me from wasting my whole day reading. This week though, I’ve found great writing from Trent, Katie, Kevin, Nakepastor and Kristin... some friends, some I've not met in person. But all worth reading. Thanks to those that make me think, pause and process...
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