Tag Archives: welcome

All are welcome

31 Friday Mar 2017

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All are welcome.  It’s a phrase many churches like to say or have posted by the door to welcome people in.  Yet, is it true?  Does it really mean what it says, or should there be an * at the end as in – All are welcome*.  You know certain conditions apply.

All are welcome…as long as you are just like us.

All are welcome…as long you don’t ask us to change.  We’d rather you became just like us.

All are welcome…except for those people.  We don’t really want their type.  They are dirty and icky.

Or maybe you are part of a church where all are truly welcome – no exceptions.  I find that hard to believe though – all churches are made up of human beings and we are all flawed and sinful.  We judge people.

Besides, I’m not aware of too many churches who would welcome someone in with intent to cause harm to the church body.

The intent behind the phrase is good.  It’s the idea that all are welcome because this is God’s house.  Yet, here we are, failing to live up to it.

But maybe the point isn’t to live up to it.  Maybe it’s something to stretch towards.  Maybe it’s like a sermon – full of Law and Gospel.

All are welcome – the Law hits and shows us how we fall short and are in need of God.  We can’t do it, we fail over and over again.  We fall short, regardless of the intention.  We judge and sort people, often based on what they look like, sound like, wear, etc.

All are welcome – the Gospel shows us that because of what Jesus has done and what God is doing in our lives and in the life of our congregation all are truly welcome.  Welcome to become part of the sinners and saints. Welcome to become part of the body of the church that is in constant change.  Welcome to answer and respond to the call to serve our neighbors.  Welcome to be who we are, and ready to become who God is making us to be.

All are welcome.

That open feeling

06 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by in Church, Travel

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The next stop on the cultural tour through the Cathedral of Learning was the Korean Heritage Room.

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This is the only other room that has “Heritage” in its name.  Again, I’m not sure why.  Are the other rooms devoid of heritage?  Why the special designation?  I don’t know.

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I did like this room though – it felt very open and in a weird way, it felt connected to nature.  Maybe because of all the wood.  Or maybe the lighting.

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Lesson for church: Open and welcome.  Imagine if your church could be described that way.  I wonder how it would be different.  What would open mean?  What would have to change?  How would the people in the church have to change?  How would the culture have to change?  And most importantly, does Jesus call us to be open?  I think so.  Yeah, Jesus never used the word directly, but if you look at what he talks about it’s about being open – Open to others, open to God, open to change, open to serve.

“The” Ukraine or just Ukraine…

24 Tuesday Jan 2017

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Our next stop in the Cathedral of Learning was the Ukraine room.

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This was one of the neater rooms as far as I was concerned.  I felt I stepped into someone’s home in Ukraine.

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It felt like a cozy kitchen, welcoming us, just a little before dinner.  I could almost imagine an old grandmotherly-type figure reaching for the plates and urging us to sit down so we could eat the wonderful food that was lovingly made.

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I loved the detail in the in cover over the chalkboard.

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And the tribute to the importance of faith in the culture.  The icons are gorgeous.

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Lessons for the church – there are many here, but I’ll limit myself to the most important that I took away.  That would be the importance of authentic hospitality.  Even without a person in this room, the environment it is in urges us to feel welcomed.  Church can be a welcoming place as well. There are certainly enough people who feel left out, outcast, and on the outside. If the church isn’t a place to welcome these people, then where are they going to go?  It’s our call to welcome those that society finds unwelcome.

Welcome to Joensuu, Finland

11 Monday May 2015

Posted by in Church, Finland, Travel

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Joensuu, FinlandThis may have been the first time I have ever been greeted by a welcome crew holding my name on a cardboard sign.  It was awesome.  If you want to make someone feel special – make a sign for them and have smiling faces when the person shows up.

These lovely people work for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland in Joensuu and they would be my guides throughout the day.  It was wonderful to get to know them and spend time with them.  One of the biggest things you notice about Finns in the east is that they are very outgoing and warm – much different from Finns of the west who are more reserved.

Our first stop – the Joensuu church office.  Now before you click away thinking that this is just a boring office, hang on.  This office has a ton of things. So many that I’m dividing the information up into two posts actually.

The first stop was the after school room where kids come and hang out and there are a couple of employees who supervise the children.  Pretty nice location, don’t you think?

Joensuu, FinlandWe then made our way to the chapel.

Joensuu, FinlandIt has a rather plain look to it, but it works.  The space can also be converted to a meeting hall.  In fact I was informed that around the same time there was a concert held in this space. So it’s actually very practical and useful.

I especially liked the last supper carving on the altar.

Joensuu, FinlandNext up – we continue our journey through the church office complex.  Who knows what you’ll find!