“We would not have been here if it was not for you.”
These words came to me following the Forth of July parade in front of our church. A lady with two young children looked me in the eyes and explained to be that without our church’s efforts on Saturday, she and her children could not have enjoyed the parade. Our efforts made all the difference for her and her children.
But what made our efforts so special I asked? She proceeded to tell me how her children looked forward to the parade but because of their sensitive to the sun, any long-term exposure would have caused tremendous harm to them. Because our church has such large trees overshadowing the parade route, she hoped that there would be a place for them to stand and watch the parade.
Nearly an hour earlier she explained to the children that unless they could park near our church and watch the parade in the shade, they could not stay. Little did she know that by 7 o’clock in the morning all the prime parking spots were already taken and the only remaining spots remained in the sun. With modest hope and the prospect of two very disappointed children, this mother parked her car about two blocks away and they walked toward our church.
Little did she know that several of our church members arrived early that morning to try and secure a couple of the parking spots so that people could watch the parade without having to look around tall standing trucks obscuring the view from the sidewalk.
The past two years our Outreach Committee and others have attempted to make the most prime location for watching the parade more than a parking lot for a lucky few. I realize that a community tradition includes families sending dads, uncles, brothers, or sons out early in the morning to secure a parking site along the parade route, especially in front of our church. Yet, by us using the spaces to place chairs and open up area to pedestrians, I’ve noticed a change of people’s attitudes.
Just like this mother, others have commented how nice is that our church tries to provide a comfortable space to watch the parade. In doing so, young families with children in strollers can find plenty of space to sit and watch, elder folks have found rest without squeezing between vehicles, and even a disabled person could sit close to the street and enjoy a front row spot.
In addition to providing some seating, our Outreach Committee includes free refreshments for our guests. Over 150 people enjoyed a nice cold glass of lemonade while we handed out a small mountain of popcorn to everyone passing by. We do this without asking for a single dime, though some people wanted to pay for them.
“Why go to all this trouble?” you might ask. Because it is one of the ways we can show the radical hospitality of Christ’s love to our community. Sure, plenty of people would still line our steps and park in front of the church. But by us taking a few extra hours to prepare for their arrival, we can make a lasting impact. They might not shadow the steps of the door, but they will know that the people called Methodists love their God and they love them too. Remember, Christ came to save the last, the least, the lost. That can even include people wanting to watch a parade.
I look forward to seeing you in the difference making place on Sunday.
