greeters

So, I didn't post on Friday/Saturday, so I'll try to make this a big one and do another one later in the day.

I joined the Welcoming team at my church two weeks ago - it's something that I've always wanted to do. There's just something about greeting people at the door with a friendly smile and a cheery "Hello!" that just makes me happy. And I'm sure it makes the people being greeted pretty happy too.

The thing about me is - I don't do it out of any previous experience or because I remember being treated so well at my old church. In fact, I was a pretty big nobody in my Georgia church. I used to just sit in the pews by myself and have no one really acknowledge me or say much to me. And I think out of those experiences, I've decided to never let that happen to anyone else. I'm not the best at discerning those who are alone and those who choose to meet God one-on-one (and thus, seem alone), but I'm working on it. Because regardless of which one it is, I think they still need someone to let them know that the church knows that they're here and that they are most welcome.

The thing about church is - sometimes, we're a very exclusive bunch. And yeah, I guess that's part of being of faith - if you don't have it, then in all literalness, you're not of the same heart. But I think we as Christians should extend a hand out to everyone. Genuinely. I remember being greeted at my old church, and after expecting the welcomer to be able to carry on a simple conversation with me, I was sorely disappointed. And that was even though I was a Christian.

My pastor said a few Sundays ago that we should make our hellos and goodbyes count. I definitely think that this is an important part of human, not just Christian, relations.

So...HELLO.

And...GOODBYE!

Verse:

"And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." (Deuteronomy 10:19)