Worship is corporate. That means that we assemble to worship God who is with us and in the awareness that we are together. The dignity of worship does not prevent us from helping persons who are lost in the liturgy. W e have been entrusted with the treasure of the Holy Gospel which is a message for all nations and all kinds of people. It is my hope that we will grow in awareness that the assignment given to us by God will not allow us to be smug or to be so private that we cannot take time to acknowledge the presence among us of many who have come to this house of worship to hear the good news.
T hink for a minute.
From the moment a person decides to attend a service of worship at our congregation, that person is an outsider. When visitors enter this space, they are at once struck with its beauty and are intensely aware that they are outsiders. Most persons have never seen such an arrangement. It is important for us to grow in hospitality as we gain clarity about our purpose. We are to preach the Gospel in Word and Sacrament.