Welcome HOME to the spiritually orphaned and homeless
The elders and I have been working every week on what our new statement, “welcome home” means for our emphasis and our programming. We are starting to talk and pray about what it means for our campus.
Earlier in the week, as I walked and prayed, I was listening to a song “The War is Over” and the lyrics were, “to call us daughters and sons, no longer orphans without a home”
I stopped in my tracks near Averill Park and said, “That's welcome home!” We are called to welcome home the spiritually orphaned and homeless and embrace them as beloved daughters and sons of our Father.
The spiritually orphaned and homeless are people who are lacking a faith family and home. Why are they lacking a faith family and home? Some were run out. Some were never noticed, never missed, never known. Some rebelled and ran. Some gave up. Some were given up on. Some were abducted by the thief. A little boy about two years younger was abducted when I was in Junior High. His parents never turned their porch light off. They were waiting for him to come home. His remains were found this last year. I haven’t been able to turn our porch light off for a year. I’ve tried, but I can’t. I think of him every night when I am locking up and shutting down the Hoff home. God’s compassionate heart is occupied with his lost children. He knows every one of them. I think Trinity is supposed to be a porch light, left on until all God’s children come home.
Most of the time the spiritually orphaned and homeless don’t think they belong in church. We are called to change that perception. It can begin with these simple words and attitude, “Welcome Home.” A smile that says, “You belong here” can cross generational or ethnic differences and communicate, “welcome home.”
Maybe Zacchaeus is a good example of so many in our town. He had money, a home, and was in a crowd, but he was spiritually orphaned and homeless, so Jesus went to him. “And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:9-10.
The heart of the Father, who sent Jesus to Zacchaeus has gripped me. I am planning to share more about this story on “Welcome Home” Sunday, September 10th at Trinity. Why don’t you start praying and pondering who you might invite on that Sunday. We will be having lots of fun in the evening with some old home-style food, music, and games. But the messages at the services that day will be clear, “The Father is waiting and looking for you. Welcome home.”
Earlier in the week, as I walked and prayed, I was listening to a song “The War is Over” and the lyrics were, “to call us daughters and sons, no longer orphans without a home”
I stopped in my tracks near Averill Park and said, “That's welcome home!” We are called to welcome home the spiritually orphaned and homeless and embrace them as beloved daughters and sons of our Father.
The spiritually orphaned and homeless are people who are lacking a faith family and home. Why are they lacking a faith family and home? Some were run out. Some were never noticed, never missed, never known. Some rebelled and ran. Some gave up. Some were given up on. Some were abducted by the thief. A little boy about two years younger was abducted when I was in Junior High. His parents never turned their porch light off. They were waiting for him to come home. His remains were found this last year. I haven’t been able to turn our porch light off for a year. I’ve tried, but I can’t. I think of him every night when I am locking up and shutting down the Hoff home. God’s compassionate heart is occupied with his lost children. He knows every one of them. I think Trinity is supposed to be a porch light, left on until all God’s children come home.
Most of the time the spiritually orphaned and homeless don’t think they belong in church. We are called to change that perception. It can begin with these simple words and attitude, “Welcome Home.” A smile that says, “You belong here” can cross generational or ethnic differences and communicate, “welcome home.”
Maybe Zacchaeus is a good example of so many in our town. He had money, a home, and was in a crowd, but he was spiritually orphaned and homeless, so Jesus went to him. “And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:9-10.
The heart of the Father, who sent Jesus to Zacchaeus has gripped me. I am planning to share more about this story on “Welcome Home” Sunday, September 10th at Trinity. Why don’t you start praying and pondering who you might invite on that Sunday. We will be having lots of fun in the evening with some old home-style food, music, and games. But the messages at the services that day will be clear, “The Father is waiting and looking for you. Welcome home.”
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