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Bulletin 126 Date : 27th Feb 2008
And the winner is …

No doubt you have watched one of those TV programmes like 'Strictly Come Dancing' where, after the contestants have performed their act, the winners are announced. It has become the norm for the presenter to say those immortal words, “And the winner is …”. This is followed by a seemingly eternal silence, just as long as the shaking during last night’s earthquake, after which they announce the name of the winner. If you’re anything like me you’re saying to yourself during the silence, “Oh, get on with it”.

A group of us are organising a photographic competition for our community as part of Hope 2008 and at our planning meeting the other night we were discussing what prizes we should offer to the winning entries. Can you imagine the scene at the prize-giving ceremony when the name of the winner is announced and then they are told what the first prize is. A holiday for 2 in the Maldives – no; a years’ membership at David Lloyd – no; Dinner for 2 at a top restaurant – no; A day at a local health Spa – no.

Instead the first prize is announced as a year’s free membership at YOUR CHURCH! What would the reaction be from someone who has never been to church before? Would you be excited for them or would you picture all of those heated meetings when you argued about the colour of the chairs in the school room or whether to replace the organ with an electronic gadget of some kind? Would you reflect upon the times when you had dozed off during the sermon or gone home fuming because someone sat in your pew?

Or would you reflect upon the excellent way in which the stewards make newcomers feel at ease and show them to the seats of their choice? Would you take pride in the way that all worship styles and all age groups are accommodated and encouraged within the life of the church? Would you relax because you know that newcomers would be offered a ‘Welcome Pack’ as they leave – a pack which talks in non-church language about what’s on offer at your church? Would you rest in the knowledge that all newcomers would be followed up sensitively by someone who takes a genuine interest in them and will commit to praying for them and be willing to escort them at their first visit to a mid-week group?

The answer to my question might cause you to think about how un-churched people perceive the Church. Does your Church Council regularly review the ambience created in worship on Sunday and seek ways to be more open to those who don’t normally come? Does it reflect upon your worship style and the extent to which some sectors of the community might find it difficult to relate?

Perhaps as part of Hope 2008 you might like to run a ‘Strictly come preaching’ event where you invite un-churched friends and neighbours to church one Sunday and then ask them to vote, via your web site, on questions like:-

1. Did you understand the sermon?
2. Did it relate to your everyday life?
3. Could you apply any lessons to your everyday life?
4. Would you want to talk about the sermon to your friends and neighbours?
5. Did it make you more hopeful or less hopeful?
6. Would you come back again for more?