The Church has a Place in this Community - Let's Show Everyone

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.


Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Does everyone have one of the small pieces of paper and access to a pen or pencil? Good. You will need to use it by the end of my sermon today.


We first started talking about Back to Church Sunday a couple of months ago. Did anyone see anything about Back to Church services in the news in the last two weeks? Did you read about them?

Throughout the diocese, churches held this celebration and continue to do so. Many of them reported having double their normal attendance. On the same day we held our annual blessing of the book bags. That was a huge success too.

Thank you God.


Do you know why these events work? Why they draw people to church?


They work because they mean something to the community. People come to church when it means something to them or to the people who are important to them.

That is what Back to Church Sunday is all about. It is about showing people how church is important to me and to you. It is about helping people to find out how church can be important to them.

Now it’s time for your piece of paper. I need you to write three things on your paper.

1. Your name.
2. In a couple of words or a sentence, how is church important to you.
3. How are you going to show the community what church is about.

While you are doing this, I am going to talk about some of the possibilities for the third part. You can pick one of those that I mention or come up with one of your own.



Please put your piece of paper on the plate as part of your Thanksgiving offering to God.


Prayer Circle
Greeters (St. John’s)
Kid’s activities / kid’s greeter
Coffee / Tea
Writing notes to those who sign the guest book

Readers
Servers
Eucharistic ministers
Visiting (with me or by yourself)
Serving on vestry
Being available to serve on other committees as needed.


We have all been given many blessings in this life. We are all blessed with an abundance from God which we can give back to the glory of God.

Thanks be to God.