(The following is a submission to The Recorder’s weekly column, “Faith Matters.” Each Saturday, a faith leader in Franklin County offers a personal perspective in this space. To become part of this series, email religion@recorder.com or call 413-772-0261, ext. 265.)
“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
It’s no surprise to me that people often refrain from attending a church for fear of the unknown. One may believe in God, in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, yet not step into a church. Or, a person may have been a regular attender or active participant but something changed.
As a pastor, I’ve heard an assortment of rationalizations for abandoning Sunday morning worship. Crossing paths with a pastor stimulates all sorts of justification, such as lack of or disappointment in faith, hurt feelings, or overloaded schedule. People may state they have no interest, or fear returning. Perhaps, they’ve chosen to worship nature as an alternative. With each explanation comes a palpable flutter of guilt and embarrassment as people struggle over entering a church for the first time or after a lengthy absence.
Even I have used these reasons! “Complicated circumstances” was my explanation for my hiatus from God’s house. Returning meant seeking a new worship experience and presenting my clueless family to benefits of worship. The fear for me was paralyzing. I couldn’t face my trepidation in the unfamiliar or perhaps face possible rejection, even though nonparticipation left a hole in my heart for years.
Longing for peace, I would pray. One day, God spoke to me and said, “Mary, you need to get your children back into a church, so they will know me like you do.” A rather unexpected and startling experience, God had my attention! This intrusion altered our family in unimaginable ways. Our focus became about how God participates in our life. We weren’t just getting up on Sunday morning to worship. We gained greater peace, found biblical tools applicable to our daily life, and bonded with a community of caring people.
Over the past 30 years, our faith and relationship with church have structured life’s journey. It all started about 10 years ago when I said, “Yes!” to God and began the journey as an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. Since August, when I was appointed Pastor in Athol, I’ve been welcomed and made to feel at home both in this church and community.
A few weeks ago, I was meeting with a group on the second floor of the Athol Public Library. Seated there, with Starrett Memorial in full view, looming across Island Street, the topic naturally turned to the church. Some had no idea I was the pastor, which always makes for an interesting discussion. One woman shared a story from decades ago when she was a teenager. She and two of her girlfriends were wandering around town when they happened by the Starrett Memorial United Methodist Church. They tried the door and found it unlocked, as it often was those days, for people to find comfort praying in the sanctuary. The church was empty, and the girls made themselves at home.
As the three wayward girls made claim to the peaceful space, they broke into song, singing “Signs” by The Five Man Electrical Band (1971.) Before departing the building, one of the young girls found paper and pen. She left this note on the pulpit with these words: “And the sign said, ‘Everybody welcome, come as you are, kneel down and pray.’”
Forty-five years later, while rounding the corner of Island Street on her way to the library, this now grown woman, was taken by surprise when she saw the sign on the front lawn of the church that reads: “All are Welcome. Come as you are.” She couldn’t help but wonder if the note that she and her friends had left so long ago prompted the sign of welcome planted there today.
I can’t say how the message left by those young girls might have prompted the sign on the lawn today, but the story reminds me of how important it is to be an open and welcoming congregation. It would be my wish to have the doors open wide all the time to everyone. I pray people feel at home in our sanctuary as those young girls did so long ago.
Unfortunately, present time makes it impossible for churches to be open all the time in the literal sense. Even so, we would like everyone to know that the words on our sign are not hollow. Our message as a United Methodist Church is to offer everyone a place of worship, fellowship, and acceptance: Everyone is welcome, come as you are.
Starrett Memorial United Methodist Church is part of the New England Conference and worldwide denomination of the United Methodist Church. Our doors are open to everyone to be: “A place where searching people can BELONG, BELIEVE, and BECOME in Christ Jesus,”
The cornerstone for the current building was laid November of 1917 and completed December of 1918. The land for this building was made possible by Mr. Leroy S. Starrett in memory of his wife Lydia W. Starrett. We are eager to celebrate 100 years soon!
Located at 40 Island St. in downtown Athol, we have Sunday school at 9 a.m. and worship at 10:30, with nursery care available. You can find us on the web or by friending us on Facebook. Church office hours are Wednesday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact the church at 978-249-6235.