Welcome to the Church

Welcome to Church

(Rom. 12.3-13)

(Much of this sermon is based upon Nicky Gumbel's Question's of Life, chapter 14)

Abraham Lincoln once said,

"If all the people who fell asleep in church on Sunday morning were laid out end to end (pause) ...they would be a great deal more comfortable." (Questions of Life, p217)

For many people the word 'CHURCH' brings to mind pictures of hard pews, unsingable tunes, enforced silence, and excruciating boredom.

I meet a lot of couples who want their child baptised. Some of them do join our church, ...but many are very reluctant to get involved.

I think this is partly due to a mis-understanding as to what church is all about. And it's a misunderstanding which is also shared by many people who actually come to church.

For many people 'church' means SERVICES, ...and like Abraham Lincoln, they often then think of hard pews and boredom.

For others, 'church' means CLERGY.

When I left Courtaulds to train for ordination, people sometimes told me of other people they knew who had "gone into the church".

From time to time I hear of people who are upset because no-one from the Church has visited them recently. It often transpires that such people have indeed been visited by a member of our church, ...but what they really meant was "the vicar hasn't visited me recently".

For such people, 'church' means clergy.

For others, the 'church' means the BUILDING. When I was at St Bartholomew’s in Binley, people in the parish often told me what a beautiful church we have, ...and I presume they're referring to the building, ...and not the vicar!

How do you see church?

A service? ...the clergy? ...the building?

Well it's interesting that the Bible doesn't describe the church in any of these ways. According to the Bible, 'Church' means PEOPLE.

The word 'Church' comes from the greek New Testament word 'ecclasia', (we also get 'ecclesiastical' from this same greek word), ...and it literally means an assembly, or gathering of people.

It's similar to the Old Testament word which described how the Israelites assembled before God on special occasions. For example at Mount Sinai when God gave the people the Ten Commandments (Dt. 9.10), ...or when the people gathered to celebrate special feasts (Lev. 19).

The Israelites were the PEOPLE OF GOD, ...and that's exactly what the church is, the PEOPLE OF GOD.

Now the Bible talks about the church in two different ways. Sometimes it talks about all the people of God throughout the world. When St. Paul says that "...Christ is the head of the church..." (Eph.5.22), he isn't referring to a particular congregation, but to Christians everywhere. Modern writers call this the universal church.

But the Bible also talks about the church in a different way. St. Paul uses the same Greek word to describe the people of God in particular places. He refers to the "...churches in the province of Asia...", and also the church that meets in the house of Aquila and Priscilla (1Co. 16.19). Modern writers call this the local church.

So the word 'church' simply refers to the people of God, ...whether you think of all the Christians in the world, ...or those from a particular area, ...or those who gather in smaller groups, ...even groups which are small enough to meet in someone's home.

So, ‘church’ isn't primarily a service, ...although God does want us to pray and worship together, and services are a good way to do that.

‘Church’ isn't primarily the clergy, ...although we do need leaders, and the clergy provide that role

‘Church’ isn’t primarily the building, ...although we do need somewhere to meet, and our building provides a great base from which to reach out into the community.

But ‘church’ is US, ...the people of God as we gather together.

That leads on to another important questions

But how BIG is the ideal church?

The wide variation which we see in the Bible, ...ranging from churches which meet in someone's home, to churches from a large province, have prompted modern writers to think about the advantages and disadvantages of different size groups.

They often talk about three tiers, to which they have given names beginning with the letter 'C', ...the celebration, the congregation, and the cell group.

They use the term 'celebration' to describe gatherings of hundreds of Christians.

On the third Sunday of the month there's an evening 'City Celebration' in the centre of Coventry. Hundreds of Christians from all over the city gather together.

Some of us have also been to Spring Harvest, where 1000's of Christians from all over the country gather together.

Or there is the Royal Show service which we shall be taking part in next summer, where hundreds of Christians from the diocese will be joining together in a celebration at the Stonleigh Showground.

In the Old Testament, the people of God came together for special celebrations at different times of the year, ...for the Passover, and at Pentecost.

Large gatherings can be inspirational, ...they can help us to recapture a vision of God's greatness, ...they can remind us that we are not alone, ...they can help us to worship God, ...and they are a visible witness in our community.

But they do have a major weakness. It's difficult to make friends in large gatherings, ...and if we don't know people, it's hard for us to play our part in serving and encouraging one another.

And that's why the second tier is also important, ...the congregation. Here they're talking about a medium-sized gathering, rather like us.

The key thing about a congregation is that it is small enough to know others, and to be known. One of the pictures of the church is that we are the Body of Christ. As we heard in the New Testament reading today:

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us." (Rom. 12.4-6)

But we can only feel as if we belong to one another if we actually know each other. And we can only use our gifts to serve one another if people actually know us.

But even a church of this size is too big for some things. And this is where the small groups come into their own. 'Cell groups' as some people call them, or 'housegroups' as we call them here at St. Bartholomew's.

These are gatherings of up to about a dozen people, where people can become close friends. They know that they can talk in confidentiality, ...after a while they feel able to share the things that really matter to them, ...and they are willing to listen and learn from one another.

Another picture of the church is that we are the family of God, ...and housegroups can help us to feel the closeness of such a family.

At 8.00 am service only:

All three tiers are important: ...the large celebration, ...the middle-sized congregation, ...and the small housegroup.

Are you missing out on one of these?

(pause)

You don't have to choose between them, many people take part in all three.

The church is not a service, ...the church is not just the clergy, ...the church is not a building. The church is the people of God. And these are three important ways in which we can be the church together.

All three tiers are important: ...the large celebration, ...the middle-sized congregation, ...and the small housegroup. All three are important in helping us be the people of God together.

However, I want us to think a little more about the second of these, ...the congregation. For throughout Britain, many congregations have been facing problems with falling numbers.

But a survey of parishes in the diocese of York during the last six years has shown that it's large congregations have been the worst affected. In fact, on average, congregations of fewer than 100 people have been growing in recent years, ...while larger congregations have been declining. (The Church Times, 4/8/95 p8)

One of the main reasons for this is that it's harder for people to feel that they 'belong' in larger congregations.

Remember that I mentioned that the key thing about a congregation is that it must be small enough for people to know others, and to be known. But as the congregation gets bigger this gets more and more difficult.

Of course this is particularly difficult for new people. I estimate that between 100 and 200 new people come to a 10.00 am service every year. However the vast majority of these people don't become regular members of our congregation.

Well back in September, a group of sidesmen, the churchwardens, and myself tried to answer this question:

HOW CAN WE HELP NEW PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY BELONG TO OUR CHURCH?

We later came up with a proposal which has now been approved by the PCC, and I would briefly like to tell you about it.

1. It is suggested that a 'Welcome Team' should be set up for the 10Êo'clock service. This would NOT be a group of people who would stand at the door, but a team who sit among the congregation.

2. The Welcome Team would include some off-duty sidespeople, but would also include other members of the congregation.

3. The churchwardens would try to identify new people as they arrive at church. Having greeted them at the door, they would then introduce them to a member of the Welcome Team who was already in church.

4. The aim of the 'Welcomer' is to be friendly but not overpowering. We must recognise that some people prefer to be left alone when at church. During the service the 'Welcomer' could sensitively give assistance if required.

5. After the service, the 'Welcomer' would give new people a Welcome leaflet, and invite to the church hall for a cup of coffee.

That's the proposal.

So would you be willing to be part of this welcome team? I guess we need about a dozen people or so. If you're a regular member of the congregation, it won't take up any extra time. You would have been sitting here anyway, and all that we ask is that you be willing for the wardens to introduce you to some new people from time to time.

If that's something you feel called to do, then please have a word with me after the service.

But the welcoming of new people isn't just the responsibility of a handful of people, it's the responsibility of everyone. All of us together are the body of Christ, and we all have a part to play in helping people feel that they belong to our church. And I want to finish by briefly mentioning two practical ways in which we can all help.

The first is that you try to be flexible about where you sit. I guess we all have our favourite places where we like to sit. When I'm not taking part in the service I like to sit somewhere near the back on that side, (...and I hate sitting in the Craven Chapel). But are you prepared to sit somewhere else for the sake of others.

I remember the feeling of rejection when I visited another church for the first time. The place was all new to me, I was feeling a little apprehensive, ...and then someone came over to me and said "You can't sit there, ...that's Mrs. Bogin's seat". ...I can't think of a worse introduction to a church.

I'm sure that nothing like that would happen in Binley, ...but I'm asking that in future we all try to be even more flexible about where you sit in church. I'm sure that most Sundays you will be able to sit where you want to, ...but if occasionally Arthur politely asks you move to a different seat, try not to whack him over the head with your brolly.

The second thing, is that if you see one or two people standing alone in the Church Hall, could you please go and talk with them. I know that when people come to church they sometimes want to be left alone, ...but that's never the case if people who have accepted our invitation for coffee.

I think we take a big risk when we invite people for coffee after the service. From time to time I have accepted a similar invitation at other churches that I have visited. At some I was made to feel really welcome, several people came up to me and introduced themselves. At others, I was left to standing on my own, reading the notice boards. I knew that I could have taken the initiative and introduced myself to them, ...but they were the hosts, and as I guest I felt that I didn't belong.

If it's any consolation, I too find it hard to go up to people I don't know, ...especially when I'm not absolutely sure if they are new or not. It's a lot more comfortable to talk to the people I know.

When I was doing my theological training, I had to do a church placement for a few months. During coffee after the service, I spent most of my time chatting with my new friends, people who I had visited and was getting to know quite well. But each week I also decided to start a conversation with just one person who I didn't know. They might have been newcomers, they might have been long standing members who I had often smiled at, but had never actually spoken too.

But whenever possible I chose someone who was standing on their own. I didn't find it easy, but after I had spoken to them I was often really glad that I had.

Would you take courage and do the same during coffee today, ...and every week. It's one way in which we can all help new people feel that they belong here.

So the church isn't a service, ...it isn't just the clergy, ...it isn't the building, ...it's us, ...the people of God as we gather together. And if we want new people to join the church, we all have a responsibility to help feel that they belong.