What Happened to All the Donuts?
Something’s Missing
Serious pastry and coffee consumers may have noticed that something is now missing from the Sherbeck’s Cafe downstairs, namely, the pastries and the coffee. Be at peace, caffeine and sugar addicts, there is a good reason for their disappearance.
A few months ago, myself and several other members put our heads together and began thinking of some small changes that could be made in order to enhance our Friday morning fellowship, and give our church gatherings an even friendlier face. One of the best ideas that surfaced was to move our beverages and snacks from the small cafe downstairs into the hall where our church gathers each Friday morning. From 07 October, we’re putting this plan into action. We trust this will facilitate greater fellowship, meaningful connections with newcomers, and good, sermon-fueled conversations. Rather than scattering for the door after the Friday gathering, we hope that many will choose to stay for a few minutes to enjoy some average coffee and excellent conversation!
Will It Work?
Is serving pastries in Maranatha Hall the magical key to creating the ideal, friendly church gathering? Will coffee percolating in the back of the hall, somehow, unite our congregation in deep bonds of brotherly love? In a word, no, it will not. The fact is, no amount of coffee or tea or cake, served from any corner of our building can replace the friendly, gospel driven engagement of UCCD members lovingly reaching out to one another, to our friends and our guests. It is our responsibility and our joy. With that in mind, may I offer some Friendly Friday Morning Suggestions?
FFMS
- It’s called the “BELL” principal: Be Early Leave Late. That’s right, I’m aiming a loving challenge at all of the folks who arrive during the last song before the sermon and leave during the last song after the sermon. For whatever reason, hatred of traffic jams or just plain laziness, you are depriving yourself of joyful fellowship, both before and after the church gathering. Let me urge you, set the alarm back, arrive early and stay late. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us that each time we gather we are to encourage one another, to “spur one another on to love and good deeds”. This simply cannot be done without making the time to engage one another in friendly conversation. I realize that this involves sacrifice. Is it too great a sacrifice for you to make?
- Be an Expositional Listener. Make use of the sermon notes page in your bulletin, or even better, purchase a small notebook and take notes of the sermon each week. Listen for, and write down the point of the passage preached. Then, write down some good questions or thoughts to share with others after the sermon.
- Look Out! Be on the look out for newcomers, guests, or just people you don’t know. Perhaps some of you have made the embarrassing mistake of greeting a “newcomer” whose been attending the church for 3 years. I’ve made that mistake, more than once! Rather than asking folks if this is their first Friday at UCCD, may I suggest, “Hi, my name is _______ , how long have you been coming to UCCD?” However you choose to start your conversations, be intentional, be friendly, “out do one another with brotherly affection” (Romans 12:10 ESV)
Much more could be said and done, but we trust that God, in His graciousness will use us for His glory, and that as we hear His Word faithfully preached, we will be conformed more and more to image of His Son, who prayed this for us:
“...I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:20-23
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