Joining In – For Jesus! – St. Nick’s News Aug. 30, 2024

Full St. Nick’s News for August 30, 2024

Dear Friends,

Last week, I had a conversation with two of our members, Rose Marie and Susan. You may recognize them from their role as greeters or from the Crafty Crew Group that meets every 3rd Saturday of the month. This time last year, they started the Saturday knitting, crochet, crafting group in order for people (of all ages) to connect over their love of the sewing arts and the desire for connection and conversation. Happy one year anniversary – Crafty Crew members!!!

If you are a lover of sewing arts or crafting, please feel free to join in on these Saturday gatherings. When you come to this group, you will find that it is a gathering of people who attend St. Nicholas on a regular basis and people who are simply friends that have been invited into this time of creating. I am an inquisitive person (such a nice way of saying nosy, isn’t it?) and asked Susan and Rose Marie about the art of inviting people to church. Here are a few of their thoughts that have been residing in my heart this past week…

1. It is fun to go to different places and meet different people – it is great to get to know them and people want to be asked to be part of your life. People want to be invited into activities where they can enjoy themselves and be loved.
2. It is important for churches to include people who have to work as well as those who are retired or have flexible schedules. Inviting people into a community and finding times to meet that honors all life stages and ages is needed.
3. So often people are afraid to talk about religion and their faith. Creating a place where people can be curious and learn from one another is important.

They shared their hope that St. Nicholas will be a place where we always encourage one another. They hope the people coming to the Saturday group will find a comfortable and loving space and people. And “if this group is loving and comfortable, maybe the church is too…”

I left this conversation so very hopeful! I just love the thought and image, “if this group is comfortable and loving, maybe the church is too…”

At the end of the day, I believe, many-many people want to belong and have a place to land where we can be our truest selves and be loved by one another and God our creator, sustainer, and redeemer.

I pray that we continue to live into our call to be a place where we co-create with God and make space for visitors and members to find God’s love. I am reminded of the blessing adapted from Moral Philosopher and Poet, Henri-Frederic Amiel:

Life is short,
And we do not have much time
to gladden the hearts of those who
make the journey with us.
So…
be swift to love,
and make haste to be kind.
And the blessing of God,
who made us,
who loves us,
and who travels with us
be with you now and forever.
AMEN

Life is indeed too short for anything but our willingness to embrace one another and invite each other into a life together with a loving God through Jesus.

Thank you for making St. Nick’s a comfy and loving place for one another and our guests. May we all have the courage to gladden the hearts of our friends, neighbors, and family who journey with us. I pray we seize each precious moment of our life together and love each other with abandon and abundance.

God’s Peace, Love, and Blessings,
Beth+