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Dear Covenant Friends,
This Sunday we “spring ahead”, moving our clocks forward by one hour, probably losing sleep, and hopefully still coming to church on time. We aren’t a particularly early gathering crowd, so this may be a challenge. Grace abounds, and as usual, we will welcome latecomers into our pews for worship.
Yet there are times when we welcome people who, unbeknownst to us, really aren’t there to worship. Last Sunday a man came into the sanctuary late, after the sermon, and proceeded to aggressively ask for money from several people in our pews. Though he took a bulletin from an usher, he wasn’t interested in finding God. His reasons varied from needing food, to clothing, to a bus pass. We offer all these things when folks in need stop by the church during the week. We even have a Deacons Fund to help with more significant needs. But not on Sunday, and not in the middle of worship.
Covenant sits on a major Cleveland thoroughfare, and we are open to visitors most of the time. It’s not hard to guess where a person could find a group of kind-hearted generous Christians on a Sunday morning. As an urban church, we should expect to encounter people looking for money or help. But many of us have reservations about giving cash, and whether it is truly helpful. Conversations are necessary to determine where the underlying needs lie and how best to address them.
So, what do you do if you encounter someone you don’t know at church asking for money? The best response is to have them call or stop by the church during the week so we can help them. If they are intrusive, insistent or threatening, they should be asked to leave. In rare cases, the police will need to be involved. Our ushers and non-worship staff are available to assist, and if we all work together, we can continue to be a church blessing our neighborhood with compassion and generosity. And the Deacons’ Fund is always accepting donations!
As spring makes its way into Northeastern Ohio, may God’s mercies spring forth among us and within us. I hope to see you at church.
Here are the Lenten devotions for this week.
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