Have you ever been invited to an event, only to arrive and find there was no seat for you? I have attended weddings where I had to stand in the back. I walked into a restaurant and had to sit at a table separate from my friends because the booth was full. I have arrived for a party with no parking. All of these have one clear message: “We’re not sure we wanted you.”

The same message comes from churches that don’t make room. So let me thank you, FBC Family! You did a fruit basket turnover of the schedule, creating empty seats at all three worship hours. You allowed our pastors to form a real preaching team so we could accommodate simultaneous services of different styles. And you invested in a construction project to build more parking on the hill, so families trying to drop off their preschoolers and elementary-aged kids at the children’s wing entrance could find parking. You made ROOM, as if you WANT your new neighbors and friends to be part of our family! Thank you.

I often ask people who come to worship for the first time, “What was it like?” Virtually all of them tell me, “It’s hard to walk into a new church for the first time.” That’s why people who drive the shuttles, help direct parking, greet at the doors, pass out resources, and scoot in from the aisle to help people find seats are all so important. It’s part of hospitality and giving grace to newcomers.

Now, with Easter just over a week away, we will be ready to proclaim the most important news of history, where everyone has a parking spot and a comfortable seat. Thank you for making room!