“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2

It’s Back to Church Sunday again. You may have invited someone to come with you to church today, and, by the grace of God active in your courage and care, maybe they even came. That’s wonderful. But if they didn’t, or if you didn’t (invite, I mean), that’s OK too. Why? Well, there’s always next Sunday, and the Sunday after that.

The Holy Spirit is full of surprises and may well have wafted in some first-time visitors, or some folks who haven’t been for ages. That too may be true on any given Sunday. Stay tuned, to the Holy Spirit, I mean, and to those around you. Be alert, be welcoming always, ready to leave your comfort zone to make new folks feel more comfortable. Take a risk and come out of your holy huddle and reach out to someone you don’t know. Do it today, for sure. But, by the grace of God, and maybe even with a bit of graceful tooth-gritting, do it regularly.

Do it today for sure; be as welcoming as you usually are, and then notch it up a bit. By all means, make sure everyone knows that they’re invited downstairs for a light soup lunch with us. Oh, and you come too, please. It just won’t be the same if you’re not there. Maybe you haven’t been in awhile? Welcome back to church! Welcome home! Come to the Lord’s Table first, our truest home, share in that limitless hospitality, eat and drink deeply of God’s welcome, which is the source and sustenance of the living church, and then come downstairs to our table, and share some hot soup and warm fellowship in this community we call St. John’s. Whether you’ve been here for eighty years or this is your first visit, you are most welcome back to church!

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21