The Rev Roddy Hamilton considers the place of welcome in worship.

IT seems almost trite to talk about this in an article about worship, as if it is so obvious that we all do this intuitively, but what shall we say of our welcome?

In what way do we shape a generous space, where people aren’t expected to know they are welcome but belong in this place of collective worship? The word ‘collective’ is important here because the church is a body, a community, a commonwealth (choose your own collective noun) and not a place of folk individually saved.

If you were to look in the Old Testament, and indeed the Epistles then salvation is a collective thing. It is nations who are saved according to the patriarchs, households according to Paul. All collective.

So, in shaping a space that is worship, how are people brought in to that space and know they belong?

I remember a conversation once with a colleague who was regularly frustrated by the use of the phrase ‘welcome to church’. ‘You don’t welcome your children into the house each time they return from school. It is their home already!’ she would say. Same for church: why do we think we have the status of ownership to welcome folk into their home?

It is a reflection, perhaps, on what happens as people gather for worship and what we might do in these times that creates a sense of collective belonging rather than welcoming `individuals gathering for the service.

Personally, I am always a tad apprehensive as we prepare for worship. Some worship leaders prepare themselves in the vestry; they pray, focus and reflect. I understand that.

That’s not for me however. I have found my preparation is done in meeting people, even though I am the world’s worst conversationalist. As people arrive, I need to wander among the pews and say good morning and have a short conversation with almost everyone. It calms my nerves but is more than that.

I’m not holding this up as some great breakthrough in understanding of ministry, but what I didn’t realise was how much this changed the dynamics of the congregation and the sense of belonging in worship. Firstly, was the surprise of what was a very down-to-earth encounter with people; human stories shared together. It was the simplest thing in the world but it moved us closer, we became less formal, more appreciative of each other, belonged to one another through stories shared.

The idea of being a belonging church is far and away more gospel shaped than being a welcoming church. Everyone belongs whether we like it or not. We belong before we believe.

“ The idea of being a belonging church is far and away more gospel shaped than being a welcoming church.

Welcome, is conditional. Belonging, unconditional. We welcome our guests, but there is an implication this is our place and you are guests here, but hopefully you’ll fit in and become one of us.

The sociologist Brené Brown said: “The opposite of belonging is fitting in. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are, it requires us to be who we are.”

Maybe the best piece of mission work the church can do is create communities of belonging: open, unconditional and affirming. Perhaps less ‘you are welcome’ and more ‘we all equally belong and equally belong together’.

The Rev Roddy Hamilton is minister at Bearsden: New Kilpatrick.