Welcome!

Yesterday I asked our administrator, Helen, about the Newcomers' Dinner which will be held at the church on the 16th of June. This dinner is a great idea which was well established long before I came to St. Paul's nine years ago. It used to be called the New Members Dinner because it was for those who were formally joining the congregation, but now we include everyone who has connected with us in the past year. Our board members are also invited as a bridge between those are involved in varous ways already, and those who are relatively recent arrivals.

It turns out that our hard-working congregational committee has its work cut out for it. I was quite surprised to hear that about 100 people have responded to the invitation! Roughly a third are board members. The rest are those who are becoming members on June 17th (twenty), other newcomers, and their families. This will be the largest group for this meal since I have been here.

Needless to say, I am happy because it is vital that new people are incorporated into this expression of the Body of Christ. Some may be taking the formal step of membership, while others may just be "kicking tires." In a world where people are much more transient because of work and education and spiritual needs we accept that at least a few will be "here today and gone tomorrow." But for that evening we will celebrate one another's company as Christians over a good meal.

Thoughts?