Dear Church Family,
If you have been to Gilcomston Church in person over the past few weeks, you will have noticed a difference in the layout downstairs in the sanctuary. Gone are the two sections of seating with a middle aisle; now there are three sections of seating with two aisles. Why? Because of our genuine desire to apply the words of Hebrews chapter 13:
“Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” – Hebrews 13:1-2.
When the church gathers, we do so to worship the living God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and so the gathered church is unapologetically attentive to God. Our purpose and our desire is unambiguous – we delight to praise His holy name. And yet we remember the promise of Isaiah 60:3:
“Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
As God’s glory “appears over” His church, especially as the church is gathered together under His name to hear His Word, the peoples will see and hear and be drawn to Jesus. And so we should absolutely expect there to be people gathered with us who are new, who have never heard the gospel before, and for whom Sunday worship is a totally new experience.
Within this context, our welcome of the stranger and our hospitality towards them is a vital ministry of the church. We really do serve tea and coffee for the glory of God and for the good of the visiting stranger. This is why we have refreshed the refreshment team and moved the table for serving tea and coffee into the middle of the floor rather than having it at the side – to make it easier for us to welcome and show hospitality.
The back quarter of the sanctuary is now an open space for fellowship and conversation. Can I encourage you to make good use of the space and to speak to someone you have never spoken to before? Let us be known for our hospitable welcome!
How good it will be when we stand before the Lord, and He can say to us:
“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me…” – Matthew 25:34-35.
And join with me to pray for all those in our church family who minister the gift of hospitality – those who do so with a gentle word of welcome, those who open up their homes and host meals, those who have a simple but impactful word to a stranger on a Sunday, our hospitality team as they serve on Wednesdays and those who serve in the refreshment team on Sundays.
Your ministry is sowing seeds of gospel truth that God, in His mercy, will use to draw people to Himself.
And:
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Your pastor and friend,
Nathan