At the front door on Sunday
I'n trying to spend the fifteen minutes before worship each Sunday outside the front door of the church, welcoming all who come. Sometimes it's a bit difficult to pull myself away from the press of details before worship, but I think it's important for me to be a presence at the front door.
I got this idea from Mike Morrisey, the priest at St. Bede's Episcopal Church in Port Orchard. Mike says he always greets people outside the front door of his church, even in freezing weather. If Mike can do it, then I can do it, too.
One of the drawbacks to our church building is that we don't look like a church. When visitors pull up our drive, they must wonder, "Is this the church?" I'm hoping that the presence of a clergyperson with robe and brightly colored stole will make a statement: "This is a church."
What a brilliant idea! It really reflects well on a church that is focused on proclaiming the Kingdom of God to the world that a minister spends time facing the world and welcoming all those God draws to come and hear the Word.
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