Dear Friends.
We were new in the town of Penicuik, 10 miles south of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital. My mother was checking out the churches in town, of which there were four belonging to the Church of Scotland. As with the whole town, everywhere was within walking distance and the North Kirk, which was the nearest, was only one and a half miles from our house, which was just as well, because my mother did not drive.
All dressed up in our Sunday best, we walked to church. Mum, as she was known, chose a small, family sized pew in the middle of the sanctuary for ease of exit because she had three school age children. However, we were not seated long before a bespectacled gentleman informed us that we were sitting in his pew and that we would have to sit elsewhere. We would later discover that this was the principal teacher at the Primary School that my brother and I would be attending. Outraged, my mum gathered us up and left. I’m not sure if she left the pew or abandoned the building altogether.
A week later, we were marched past the North Kirk’s doors, with a few choice words muttered under her breath, including, “We’re not going back there again.” and proceeded to St Mungo’s Parish Church which was exactly two miles door to door. However, despite the distance, it did not feel too far to walk because the welcome we received was very warm indeed.
To avoid the risk of the previous week’s experience, we climbed the stairs to the balcony and once seated, realized we were in good company because diagonally across from us and in the balcony facing the pulpit sat the Manse family.
The worship that day was refreshingly innovative for 1971. The minister, Rev. Archibald Richmond, used modern pop music to illustrate his point. I can’t remember what it was, perhaps ‘unity’ because on his signal, Mrs. Richmond or one of their teenage sons played the record, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing in Perfect Harmony.” And that was the day we knew we’d found our new church. Thankfully, my mum did not let one bad experience prevent her from finding the place where she belonged.
Although it may seem petty, sometimes a bad first impression can be all that it takes to turn people off the church and the message of the gospel. For this reason, everything from our signs outside, our website, the welcome at the church door and a friendly word in the pew can make all the difference in creating an atmosphere of welcome.
Jesus said, “All those the Father gives Me will come to Me, and I will never turn them away.” (John 6:37)
Pastor Cliff