Acts 2:42-47
Welcoming Strangers
Today we want to think about welcoming strangers. The few verses from Acts that are printed in the bulletin are describing the situation right after the starting of the Christian church. People were welcomed. Not so different from welcoming someone new into a congregation, or business, or community, or wherever we find someone with whom we are unfamiliar.
I remember one Sunday when I was asked to fill in for a pastor on vacation. It was a hot summer Sunday. I was dressed similarly to now. I got to the church early and stood talking to the usher while people were coming to worship. None of the people who came into that place for worship said anything to me. Not one. After worship people apologized to me that they had not spoken to me, some saying that they would have if they had known that I was the pastor for the day. I was a stranger that did not feel welcome.
After moving to Grand Forks, I had a similar experience. I visited a church, not as pastor, just as someone visiting. No one said anything to me. Again, I was a stranger who did not feel welcome.
I remember my daughter describing a time that she visited a church after they had moved to a new town. She described an “elderly woman” meeting her at the door, handing her a bulletin, asking if she was familiar with the worship service, and then telling her where the bathrooms were and where the coffee was. My daughter felt welcomed.
What makes you feel welcomed? For many people it is welcoming to have friends around. We like to be with people that we like. Times of food and fellowship can be wonderful times with friends, and often help us get to know others and make new friends.
We often try to make connections to people through others that we know in common, or through their jobs, or where they live, or other things that they have in common with us. I remember visiting my Dad when he was in an assisted living facility. Dad was trying to introduce me to another resident there. He tried to explain where I lived. That didn’t work. He tried to say that I was a pastor. That did not work. Finally, he just pointed to me and said, “that’s my son.” And the other man understood. The connection was made.
A number of years after my parents had died, I was back visiting in the area. The pastor of their church asked me to preach. When he introduced me that Sunday, he did not say my name or profession or where I lived. He looked at the congregation and said, “remember Harry? He used to sit by the center aisle right behind Shirley.” Everyone seemed to be nodding their heads. “This is Harry’s son.” A connection was made.
We make a connection. Then we feel more comfortable. And then feel welcomed.
This scripture lesson from Acts talks about people being amazed at what was happening in the early Christian church. It was not even known as the Christian church yet, and we are told that many wonders and signs were being done. Sometimes it does not take much for people to be amazed at what is being done, or what can be done by a group. Here the point is that they are doing things together to help others. They are collecting possessions and selling stuff and using the proceeds to help all as any had need.
They were spending time together every day, a lot of time. Apparently, people were noticing. We are told that they had the goodwill of all the people. It is difficult for me to picture that “all” the people were so favorably impressed. In other words, with spending all that time together, people did not see them as selfish; but rather saw them as people so welcoming that every day more people were coming to join them.
The comfort level, when entering their worship gatherings, must have been wonderful. Some places are not known as being welcoming. This early gathering of Christians was known as being welcoming. That becomes something for us all to think about.
Not everyone in this church in Acts was a trained pastor, almost positively none, not all were leaders in the group. All participated and all were part of the group that made this wonderful impression on their community.
God provides a lot of things, really all that is needed. Our problem is to work on how to get those God given resources to the places and people that need them.
Our job becomes to welcome, to provide as we are able, to help as we can. Most of all, to share that welcome and love of God with all that we can.
Amen.