I was talking to a gentleman a while back who had moved to Halifax from British Columbia. He told me that he was really enjoying living in the Maritimes but wondered how long it would be until he was no longer considered a “CFA.”

I must have looked confused because he explained that people would often comment, “Oh, you ‘come from away.’” Talk about making people feel at home. And I realized that we can be friendly without ever letting people feel like they belong.

I wonder how often people come away from church feeling like a “CFA”? They leave feeling like they weren’t a part of the group and might never be.

If we are doing our job as a church, then we should be reaching those who come from away, those who have been away from God and are now on their journey home. And part of our job is to make them feel at home and to help make their return a little bit easier. We need to treat our guests as if they belong and welcome them as a part of the family, not like they are strangers who stumbled into a private party. Have a great week, and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.