A question in the January/February issue of Gather magazine’s Bible study by Julie Kanarr still intrigues me. The two-part question in Session One asked, “What is your experience of being invited to churches or religious communities? What is your story of becoming part of your faith community?”
What keeps me reflecting on this Bible study is how my group shared about the second part of that question.
During Bible study, we asked, “What brought you to Lord of Love [Lutheran Church], and why do you stay?” That evening, five of us were in attendance. We were missing a few due to work obligations or winter travel.
Reasons for staying
One shared that after she moved to Omaha from another state, her cousin told Lord of Love’s then pastor to call her and make sure she’s going to church. So, he did. When she came to the church, one of the ladies introduced her to everyone there.
When one in our group moved to Omaha, she said she didn’t want to spend a long time finding a church. She looked in the phone book for ELCA churches and attended two every Sunday. When she visited Lord of Love and saw how welcoming they were, she made it her new church home.
Another said she lived in the apartments across the street from the church. When she visited, the congregation welcomed her.
One’s mom was going to have open-heart surgery, and she called her mom’s pastor two weeks before the surgery. He told her the day of her mom’s surgery was his day off and asked her to let him know how the operation turned out. At the time, her mother was dating a member of Lord of Love, and he came to sit with her. So did her brother and Lord of Love’s pastor. They had a good time praying together and telling jokes and stories.
After, there was little question about which church she and her mom would attend.
Looking for a church home, I opened the Yellow Pages but decided you can’t find a church in the phone book. I called a pastor I knew from a town about 50 miles away and asked him to recommend a church. He knew the pastor at Lord of Love and suggested I go there.
Someone greeted us
Each of our stories had one thing in common: Someone greeted us and invited us to take part in the congregation once we got there.
We were invited to join the choir, or attend an event, or participate in some other way. It was the come-and-join-us attitude of the congregation that made us feel welcomed.
We all had a variety of reasons of why we have remained members–all of us more than 20 years. My Bible study group of friends is one of the main reasons I stay there. That, and the handbell choir.
People need a sense of belonging, of knowing we are welcomed and a part of something bigger than us.
What brought you to your church? Why did you decide to take part in Women of the ELCA? Why do you stay? How can you welcome and invite others to join your church and to participate in Women of the ELCA and other ministries?
Gwen Edwards is a member of Lord of Love Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska, and a former executive board member.