(From Peper en Zout by M.E. Voila, Kok: Kampen; n.d. Translation by George van Popta, 2024)
The Visitor
Some people of the congregation complain that we are not very good at making visitors to our worship services feel welcome. When you hear this repeatedly you begin to think that the criticism must have some validity.
I, myself, had begun to think this and found myself searching for reasons why this might be so among us. Why are we poor at welcoming visitors? In fact, I thought so deeply about this matter that I began to think that, perhaps, the problem might also lie in me.
However, that is all behind me now. I was completely disabused of the idea, and my confidence in us as a friendly and hospitable community has been completely restored.
What a relief when sober self-reflection gives way to reality, when there is tangible proof that the pessimists are wrong. I witnessed a beautiful example of how hospitable we are last Sunday when I had the Sunday off. Because I was not preaching, I was in church ten minutes before the start of the service.
As people crowded in, I noticed Miss Groening waiting at the entrance of the auditorium. She is a young woman whom I had met the previous week at her sister’s funeral. She is from outside our circle and has not gone to church since childhood. The funeral had made a deep impression on her, and now she had come to church for the first time. She had some vague memories about the gospel from her youth.
She was standing in the foyer while the parishioners streamed past her to their regular pews. I believe that's how it should be: first the sheep, and then the goats. I have heard that there are other churches where such a person is quickly welcomed and offered a decent seat, a Bible, and a hymnal. Such churches have lost the first principles. It is only natural and proper that our own members take precedence. After all, they pay their regular voluntary contributions.
She was looking for a place to sit, but luckily the sexton was keeping an eye on her. You never know whether such a stranger might have the temerity to sit anywhere.
But there was no reason to worry as she just kept standing there.
Apparently, she did not know about the green light—that when the green light comes on, all the pews are free for the taking. The sexton sprang into action when the light came on and took her to Sister Van Dalen's place.
There she was seated, but not for long.
For, contrary to expectation, Sister Van Dalen had come to church that day after all. She was a few minutes late, but went straight to her pew as the green light had no relevance for her. She became indignant when she saw someone else in her pew.
There you see the beauty of it all. Others might have gone back to find another place to sit, but not Sister Van Dalen! She wasn’t like that. Things have to be done correctly. After all, there are rules.
She whispered loudly to those in the neighboring pews that a stranger was sitting in her spot, in the hope that the stranger would hear her, and move. When that didn't work, she directly, and emphatically, told the visitor that she was sitting in her spot.
That worked. Miss Groening blushed and quickly vacated the pew, whereupon Sister Van Dalen took her rightful place, still muttering and complaining to her neighbours.
And so, the visitor was, again, standing in the foyer.
And then? What could you expect but that this unashamed interloper should be forcibly escorted out of the church! She would only be getting her due reward!
But no, once again the sexton leaped into action and he gave the stranger a seat, this time on a collapsable stool. True enough, it had no back to it, and neither did she have a Bible and songbook—which really was too bad, because the first stanza was so appropriate: “Oh, come with us and do as we!”
But so it goes. You can’t control everything. After all, she will be able to sit in a normal chair at home and recover from her sore back. And she should be able to buy a Bible and hymnal at the bookstore.
The main point is this: she was under the preaching of the word, and she experienced the communion of saints.
And then, just imagine! Some say we are no good at welcoming the stranger!
