Thursday, July 30, 2009

The First Time

Coming to a church on Sunday morning for the first time can be a difficult and intimidating act. It takes a lot of courage for a person to enter the worship space, particularly if they are alone. Often, people come to church for the first time after a recent difficult transition: a move to a new city, the death of someone close, or the loss of a relationship. They are looking for comfort. Maybe they have been away from the church for awhile. Perhaps they have had a bad church experience. Recently, I've noticed many of our visitors come with friends for the first time or two. Do you remember the first time you visited your church? How did it feel? What made you uncomfortable? What made you comfortable? When did it start to feel comfortable? What might have made you feel more at ease?