We’ve arrived once again to the glory of Holy Week. And as Easter Sunday draws closer, it is good to remind ourselves of ways we can bless those who don’t normally attend Calvary on this highest attended service of the year.
I am grateful that I am a part of a church like Calvary, where you already do a wonderful job of this. I hear quite frequently from guests, and newer regular attenders and members, that part of what drew them in to Calvary was the friendliness of our church family. So, many of these reminders are things many of you are already pretty good at.
That said, it’s always good to be freshly encouraged in ways that we can make a Good News impression on guests with just a few simple acts. Which was exactly the goal for Thom Ranier as he wrote Nine Considerations for Church Members on Easter, in the hopes that we would all remember that we “have an opportunity to make an eternal difference.” Here are eight of them:
- Pray as you enter the property. Pray for the guests. Pray for the services. Pray for the pastor and the sermon.
- Park at the most distant spot available. Save the closer parking places for guests.
- Greet people. They may be guests. They may be members. It’s okay to introduce yourself to either.
- Look for people to help. You know the place well. Many others will not. Be a guide. Help someone who looks like he or she needs help.
- Sit as close as possible to the front of the worship center. Save the back rows for guests and late entrants, so they don’t have to walk past so many people.
- Sit in the middle. Don’t claim that aisle seat where people have to walk over you or past you.
- Sit closely. Your worship center may be packed. If so, be willing to sit cheek to cheek.
- Pray as you leave. The Holy Spirit is likely working in many persons who attended. Pray for His continual work of conviction and comfort.
“These are simple acts, family. They are acts of service. And if you survive doing these acts of kindness and service on Easter, you just might be able to do them on other days of worship as well.”
I am looking forward to celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of our King at our Good Friday service (7pm) and our Easter Sunday service (10:30am) with you this weekend.
The Lord is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!
Pastor Matthew
