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“How Can I Help You?”
Recently, I had the honor of baptizing the young child of a couple who were married at the Chapel. We were scheduled to meet at the Chapel on a Saturday morning at a certain time. One of the family members arrived at the Chapel an hour early, walking around the property trying to discover where the baptism would be officiated. The main front doors were unlocked with lights on inside. It seems easy enough to find, but this family member was still lost.
Fortunately, one of our dedicated Lord’s Warehouse volunteers discovered the lost person and brought her to the Chapel where I was working.
Don’t laugh. Within the past year, a local official and I met at another church to attend a meeting. Both of us knew the church, but neither of us knew which building or which door to enter. The result was that we walked around two sides of a certain building, trying multiple doors before we found one that was open. Thankfully, someone was sitting inside who helped us, but goodness! A little help would be nice!
These might seem like dismissible occurrences, but telling this story will perk the ears of any pastor, priest, or clergy member. This is very common. Why? Because churches are unfamiliar places for lots of people. But even for regular churchgoers, attending another church can be like entering another country that has its own ways, traditions, and doctrines. Little signage and no directions yield lost people, which churches are supposed to be finding!
That’s a joke, but the story is important. When we are at church, we need to keep an eye out for people who might be lost. Sure, someone might just be wandering through the beautiful Chapel gardens, not needing any help at all. However, they might be looking for something specific, like the right door to enter. They might have a question about the Chapel, Lord’s Warehouse, or Paradise Center. Or, it might be a couple thinking about an upcoming wedding.
Hospitality is really important at any church. Just like good retailers, we shouldn’t just point someone toward the right place. Walk them over. Introduce yourself. Ask their name. Ask, “How can I help you?” A little hospitality goes a really long way.
And by the way, that Lord’s Warehouse volunteer who helped the lost family member might have helped to create a new Chapel attendee. That person was really impressed and expressed her thankfulness later that morning. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her, or other members of the family, return for a visit, simply because someone cared enough to notice that she needed help.
Maybe that’s one of the simplest ways we can demonstrate God’s love. We notice people. We welcome people. We help people. And sometimes, before we ever say anything about God, our actions allow someone to hear God asking: “How can I help you?”
See you Sunday! God Bless, Brock
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