I lingered outside for quite awhile. The building is lovely, but imposing: a Romanesque masterpiece designed by Ralph Adams Cram that overlooks the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is a monastery, the home of the Society of St. John the Evangelist, the oldest religious order for men in the Anglican Communion. And when I first stood outside the doors to the monastery chapel, I was 18 years old, spiritually hungry, and nervous as hell. I had heard about this community and felt drawn to it. I wanted to experience what they were about and participate in their worship, but I did not know how I could ever walk through those solid doors with no windows. But as I stood gazing at the place on that cool autumn day many years ago, a monk came out, saw me, and walked right up to me. I froze, but he greeted me warmly and invited me in. And I will forever be thankful: that community helped to form me as person in Christ and has continued to nourish me to this very day.
But what if that man had not invited me in?
The research shows that thousands of unchurched people here in Charlottesville and Albemarle County have never once been invited to church by anyone. And the reality is that, with some notable exceptions, Episcopalians tend not to be very inviting. COOS is a warm community and we try to make anyone who walks through our front door feel welcome. But actually inviting someone to walk through that door is something else entirely. And, yes, there are some understandable reasons why people feel reluctant to do this. Too much "bad evangelism" goes on out there, which often consists of religious people telling others why they are wrong and why they better come to church, or else! We have probably all encountered people who are pushy about their faith, trying to impose it on others. And certainly religion is a sensitive topic in our society: it's one of those subjects you don't mention in polite conversation.
But the truth is that we are all human, and we are all striving to find meaning in our lives and to feel connected to Ultimate Reality, whatever that might mean. Many people are suspicious of organized religion; not a few have been burned by it. And there are some common notions of God that are frankly terrible. But there is a hunger for the real God, the God of love and mercy whom Jesus reveals, the God who can transform lives and who is constantly working to transform our world for the better. This is not a God of rules and condemnation, but a God of compassion and new life. This is the God people desire and need — the God we can invite them to experience.
On Sunday, September 17, Church of Our Saviour is having an Invitation Sunday. We encourage all of our parishioners to invite someone to worship with us that day. The goal is not to convert them or to make them members of the parish. I will not be handing out pledge cards in the gathering area! We just want people to come and see what we are about.
And we are simply asking parishioners to issue the invitation to someone. If people decline, that's okay: at least they were invited. Some may not be interested. Some may not be ready. Some may need a different kind of church or worship experience. But there are undoubtedly people out there who would love what we have at COOS, and who are hungry for a faith community that can help them experience the love and presence of God. I think of my younger self, standing outside the doors of that monastery chapel: I just needed an invitation. Each one of us can give that gift to someone else. And when we do, who knows what the Holy Spirit will do with that? There is no limit to the power and mercy of God, no limit to what God can do through you and me when we ask someone, "Would you like to come to church with me?"
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