“I might want to talk with you, but you may not want to talk with me,” I told Ed, my old neighbour from Saskatchewan. We were discussing my present endeavour to contact members of our church congregation by phone. Ed, said, “Phoning people is as bad as knocking on their door. Seeing a pastor or priest at church is more than enough for most people.”
Ed advised me I should leave the members of my congregation alone. Don’t call, don’t visit and, at church, don’t ask about anything more personal than the weather. I think many folks would agree with Ed, but they might also say, “no one from the church ever contacts me unless they want my money or my help.” It is always a challenge to show love and encouragement to congregational members.
Many attend their church worship service and it is a personal time of focus on their confession of sins, God’s word read and preached, praising God in songs, praying and receiving the Lord’s supper. Attending church is both a private act and a corporate or group experience. Individual worshipers form in the worship service the family or children of God.
The church is made up of believers in Christ. Faith in Jesus means believers who have been cleansed by the blood of Christ, who seek to serve God with holy living. Believers in Christ are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Jesus is the vine and believers in him are branches of Him. If we stay connected to Jesus, we can bear much fruit. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing.
We seek at church to understand the will of God for ourselves and others. Jesus calls us to abide in His love and love one another as he has loved us. While we were sinners, Jesus died for us so we can find forgiveness and new life before God. We are called to be imitators of God as his beloved children.
It is not easy to remain connected to the love of God in Christ. Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, slander and malice are tempting. We are invited to live in power, greed, pleasure, sexual immorality, jealousy and to take pride in getting impaired on alcohol and drugs. The world promises satisfaction and freedom to ignore God and his love and will for us. We must decide if we are living wisely or unwisely. Is it wise to trust yourself and live to yourself? Is it wise to trust God, give thanks to Him for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?
God calls us as believers in Christ, to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave us. Clergy folks or volunteers may call or visit to check on how church members are doing? Do they have prayer concerns or questions of faith and life to share? How can they be encouraged to attend church and be gathered with other believers around God’s word and sacraments? Do they need a ride or help in bearing a burden? A phone call from the church is meant to show concern in the love of Jesus.
