Welcome Home! Grab a Seat and Come to the Table

by Reverend Jennifer Creswell

We’re seeing visitors at St. Luke’s these days. I can’t account for why anybody walks through the red doors of this church, but I do sense that we live in a world of seekers (myself included). We are all seeking something: love, community, safety, security, beauty, belonging, meaning, God. And I believe that God nudges us in the direction of the things we seek. For some of us, those things can be found inside the sanctuary of a little white church with red doors. Or outside in a garden under the shadow of Mt. Hood. Thanks be to God.

It’s with these visitors in mind that some slight shifts are being made in the way we do things at St. Luke’s. Far from weakening our identity, preparing for visitors actually strengthens it. For instance, Lynda Glander and I have been working on a new bulletin design that has more guidance and explanation than our current bulletin. As Maureen, our deacon, says, there’s nothing worse than walking into a new place where everyone knows what to say, and when—and you have no idea what they’re saying. Besides, some of the things we do every week in worship—listen to passages from scripture, share peace with each other, carry bread and wine from the back of the church to the altar—have become so much a part of our routine that we can forget why we do them.

Soon, you’ll see more people wearing nametags at St. Luke’s—you’ll probably be asked if you want to wear one, too. Knowing each other’s names is the first step in building community! And that’s what we do at St. Luke’s: build a community with its center in Christ.

When visitors come to St. Luke’s, we want them to feel like they’ve come home. Because God may just be calling them to stay in this community and make it their home. So, now is the time for a little house cleaning, a little preparation, to make our home ready for them. You’ll hear more in the next few months about plans for “cleaning house” and inviting the guests. The Church is more than a building—it is the people God has called together to be “home” for each other.

Your cook and cleaner,

Rev. Jennifer