Once I was pastor to a small
congregation that consisted mostly of farm families, in an area that was rapidly
being surrounded by new suburbs, so some of the newcomers found our
congregation and liked the friendly atmosphere.
Two young men started visiting our
congregation on a fairly regular basis, and it was obvious they were a couple,
sitting closely together in the service. I had no idea how the members would
respond, but very quickly I saw that it did not seem to matter to anyone.
Not long after they started attending,
one of the men began to get very sick. His AIDS was no longer responding to
treatment. Members of the congregation brought them bread and soup and ran
errands for them.
To me this incident dispels the
impression that only large, urban congregations are welcoming. It can be found
everywhere.
