Church of the Reconciler invites people to truly come as they are and so our worship is both lively and messy. Such messiness is a side effect of a place that is known to offer an unreserved welcome to anyone and everyone.
Another Monday I asked the group, after reading Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-14, about God’s rescue. One person said, “God rescued me from foster care.” “God rescued me from an abusive relationship”, said another. “I was rescued from drugs and alcohol and God kept my brain from being fried” one person responded with a smile. All these answers were summed up when someone remarked, “God rescued us all from extraordinary circumstances.”
The folks I minister to at Church of the Reconciler have gifts and graces and a call from God upon their life. They do not lack, but are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). This means ministry is both giving and receiving. The line between those doing ministry and those being ministered to starts to blur. I’m thankful for the folks at COTR that show up each week ready to blur that line.
Day shelter means a lot of things, but importantly, it means a place to just… be. Why day shelter? Overnight shelters have to close during the day to reset for the next night, so individuals who stayed there have to go other places for about 8 hours. This week while I was in the sanctuary, a man humbly came to me just to say thanks: “Thank you for being here, for being open so I don’t have to stand on the sidewalk.”
There is certainly much work to be done. Giving away bus passes is one small step in the right direction - making getting from place to place a little bit easier, lightening the burden folks carry, and lifting people up so they can say, “Today is not going to be one of those days.” One bus pass at a time people are led to know Church of the Reconciler is with them and for them, just as God is with them and for them. Isn’t that the very purpose of ministry?
This week a guitar came in Church of the Reconciler’s mail. It wasn’t for our worship music ministry. It was for Jennifer, who recently signed up to get her mail at the church. She was so excited to pick up her guitar when she checked her mail at the church office. “It’s not much, just a cheap 50 dollar guitar,” Jennifer said, “but without a way to play music, I can get really lost in the world.”
