Fall is an exciting time of the year at every church. It feels a little bit like resurrection. Things are a bit slow in the summer as people take advantage of the good weather and freedom of having children out of school to see family and enjoy time together. Then as the children go back to school we see families coming back to church. Usually we see new families who have moved into the neighborhood coming to see what GCC is all about. It is energizing all of us here at Grace.
This Sunday is the week when most of our kids are back in school, and many of us will be back at church for the first time in a while. Our Foundations classes for all ages will be back up and running at 9:15am. Our Crossroads youth group will start meeting again weekly at 4:30pm. We will feel recharged, and it is also a good time to think about how we can get plugged in at church. This Sunday at Grace is a time you can take a moment to get plugged in and charged up!
There will be a table in the foyer this week where you can sign up for various volunteer positions at Grace. Of special emphasis is our First Impressions team: the handshake of Grace! Ushers, greeters, and coffee preparers help the newest people in our community feel right at home the first week. You remember that awkward feeling that first Sunday in a new church, don’t you? It’s that time when you look like you are trying to memorize all of the announcements. You are both looking to see if people are friendly, and also feeling awkward enough that you are hoping they won’t notice you.
Just this Sunday I saw two of our First Impressions people doing a great job with some late arriving newcomers. Rather than allow people to feel unwelcomed and awkward, these two individuals helped these families find a comfortable place to sit. It warmed my heart to see the message of God’s grace being worked out in the way people find a seat here!
It takes a good crew of people to make people feel welcome. The more people that sign up for those jobs, the less demand it is for any one person. So take a walk on by the table at Fall Charge Up and see where you might want to plug in! See you Sunday!
In Him,
Don