9/22/2012

Really Open Church...there when I need it.

Open Church.... there has been a lot of talk about open communion and evangelism. Well, here in the little town of Lewes, by the edge of the bay and the big water, we have another tool for evangelism - open church. St. Peter's is open all year round, twenty-four- seven, with the exception of some Halloween nights and when there are musical instruments set up for a Sunday morning. But that leaves 363 or 364 days a year open. 

I don't think about that very much, but I have been thinking about that today. I needed time to sit, pray, fidget, whatever, over preaching tomorrow. So I walked in and sat down. I was there for about half an hour, mostly by myself. But there were three visitor groups - two to five people - who wandered in to look around. One group of three split up and took seats in various parts of the church and they too sat quietly. 

 What a gift it is that this place is there, open to all, and that people do wander in, and some stay to pray.  Thanks be to God for such places of open church.  Some who come in are refreshed and reminded and recalled.
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2 comments:

  1. Lois Keen24/9/12 9:34 AM

    Dear Mark, I was moved to write a post, linking to this one. I hope you do not mind.
    http://ramblingswithlois.blogspot.com/2012/09/open-doors-and-church-of-ones-youth.html

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  2. Counterlight26/9/12 8:16 AM

    Keeping churches always open is a little hard in New York. Some of the larger churches used to be always open, and people would sometimes spend the night in the pews. I don't know about Lewes, but here paid staff would have to be present.
    It would be nice though to see church buildings used again as sanctuaries always available to people at all hours.

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