LW News Article - November 06

Open Evenings

I’ve spent a few evenings recently going around schools trying to work out which is the best educational establishment for my two children, each of whom move to a new school next year. It’s quite a job (and some fun too) as we go around and sample science lessons, test the products of cookery (sorry I mean food technology), and play on the IT equipment. It made me wonder if churches should have open evenings too, where prospective worshippers can come and sing some hymns, sample a short sermon and try out the fellowship over coffee; all before really committing yourself. Well in a way anyone can come to a service or coffee morning or fun evening (such as our “Pudding and Quiz” on the 23rd) to find out what we’re like – and we’d love to see anyone who just dropped in.

However church isn’t really about singing, sermons and social activities, and we’re not in competition with each other like shops or schools are. All we are concerned about is providing an environment where people can discover God for themselves in their own way, and as long as they do that we don’t mind whether they end up going to a different church down the road or none atall. So if you really want to find God then I can assure you that you will, because James reminds us that if “we draw near to God he will draw near to us” (4:8), and I hope that those of us in the churches can help you do that, with or without open evenings!

Andy