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Dear saints,
Have you ever been to a restaurant that knocked your socks off? I’m talking about a crispy sear on a tender piece of fresh fish, served over jasmine rice, perfectly seasoned vegetables, and the most decadent beurre blanc known to man. Then there’s the glass of wine that pairs just right, and a dessert that you think about the next day, for all the right reasons. Rich, thick chocolate mousse would be my choice, but we live in a complex world, and each of us must chart our own path.
If you have been to a place like that, I wonder whether you kept the secret to yourself. Or, did you rave about it to every passerby, and tell your friends about it? What was it like to recommend, or even invite someone you know to something new?
I love telling my neighbors and friends about the next foodie hot spot, but I’ve learned that I sometimes hesitate to tell someone about God, or invite them to church, and I wonder why that is.
Sharing the story of our faith, or inviting someone to join us at church– these can feel like daunting tasks.
We sometimes hesitate to encroach on a personal decision, especially in a culture where “evangelism” might be understood as “trying to convert you to my world view and making sure you agree with everything I’ve ever said, and also, come to my church, and be judged, and never leave.” That hesitation makes sense, especially as judgmental religious figures dominate the airwaves.
But actually, that’s not what evangelism means. It just means “telling good news.” What would it look like to invite someone to a really fun community that will love you, and show up for you in your joys and sorrows, and break bread together, and help raise your kids, and speak of God’s hopeful future in a frightening world, and bless your cat, and wrestle with life’s great questions, and invite you into transformational service in the neighborhood, and sing the rafters off the church, and, so much more?
This coming Sunday gives us a ridiculously fun excuse to invite our neighbors to church. “Hey- we’re doing a blessing of the animals this Sunday at 9, and you can bring your pets. Would you like to come with me?”
A recent study from Forward Movement found that 8 in 10 Episcopalians attend church because they were invited by a person they trust. I wonder if there is a person in your life who would find this community as wonderful as you and I have found it to be. And I wonder if they would never even consider darkening our door on their own, but maybe they’d ride with you, and you could sit together.
Please consider inviting someone to come with you on Sunday. But if they have snakes, please invite them to the cathedral.
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