Hello SPV family!
1 Peter 4.9 states: "Show hospitality to one another" & Hebrews 13.2 says: "Do not neglect showing hospitality to strangers." I've been thinking about these verses the last few weeks & how we at the SPV can do a better job at practicing this. We have a pretty laid back approach at the SPV with our "come as you are" & "do whatever feels comfortable to you" philosophy but with one very important caveat: "...so long as it doesn't distract or impede someone else's worship experience." I desperately want us as a church family to consider the impact we might have on others (positively or negatively) regarding where we park, showing up on time to serve, stepping up to serve, praying or singing in an overly demonstrative manner that might make a new person uncomfortable, not using the nursery if your baby is particularly restless or noisy, having conversations with your friends during worship or communion... These are all things that we've received feedback on recently & some have even chosen to worship elsewhere as a result, which, if I'm being honest, breaks my heart. We work so hard preparing the building, our greeters, breakfast, music, videos, communion, the message, prayer team...so we can minister to people as effectively as we can so when all of that hard work, effort & preparation goes out the window because people are so distracted they can't even hear the message or focus on worship or connect with the Lord in whatever way you can hopefully understand the frustration of concern. Now I have no desire of turning the SPV into a "police state" where we all act like Barney Fife on patrol but let's all take some ownership of Heb. 10.24 "let us consider how we might encourage one another towards love & good works." I'm just asking that we all pull together to take some personal inventory of how our actions might affect others & encourage each other to do the same (all without getting offended). So silence your phones/ iPads, use the nursery when your baby is fussy, be cognizant of loud conversations...I just want to create space for us to have & give others the best worship experience possible & I hope you want that as well. Much love to you all, Chris |
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