Church--Coming In Out of the Storm

This picture captures perfectly what Church means to me. I call it: Coming in out of the storm. Years ago my family and I were in Charleston and I saw this watercolor. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. But we went home and I did not buy the picture. Years later we were back to Charleston and I saw this picture again and bought it. I hung it in my office and from to time I would look at the picture and it moved me again and again. It reminded me of what my real job was.

Church gets a bad rap many days. And sometimes there charges are right on target. And yet on our better days we really do open our arms and say welcome to everybody. 

As I look at this picture I think of all the people out there in the storm. It really is stormy weather. And many folk think there is no place to hide. And we in the church have not always provided a safe place for those out there cold, wet, scared and not knowing which way to turn. 

Sometimes they are divorced. Sometimes they are poor or black or gay or abused women and men, too.  Many have found alcohol or drugs destroying their lives. Sometimes they are rigid and closed minded and judgmental. Sometimes they have no screens on their windows at all. Today those on the Southern border wonder just wonder about us.  

And all this political talk—not ethical talk—but political talk doesn’t help. People are still left out in the cold. And yet come Sunday it is my hope that out there all those in need—which really are  all of us—will find those open doors and come out of the storm. And once inside we can find acceptance and love and forgiveness and help and encouragement, too. 

Last Sunday I remembered an old story that i heard years ago. Dean Snyder talked about working in an emergency shelter in an inner city church. He said that one day Nora came and stayed with them several days. Her family had kicked her out. She was covered in tattoos. Se walked around in too-tight pants and kept wearing a see-through blouse. She couldn’t have been a day over 16. And she was hard as nails.She chained-smoked and talked to loud and flirted with the men and had a very foul mouth.

One after Snyder said that as he worked alone in the kitchen Nora came in at sat down. After a long time she said, “I been meaning to ask you somethin’. I heard a priest say one time that Jesus loves everybody even prostitutes. Is that so?” He said he was a tempted to tell her that God loves the sinner but not the sin. But for once, he said he didn’t say that. He just answered her question, “Does God love everybody? Even prostitutes?” He nodded and said, “Yes.” He said the dam broke and Nora cried and cried. After a while he knew those were happy tears and not sad ones.

That’s our job in the church. To open the doors. To say welcome to all those out there in the storm. To say yes and not no.

Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com