This past Sunday Alayne Jaffe and I had the honor of receiving a very special gift. This gift was not one of material treasure nor was it one of the “fruits of the Spirit” that the Reverend Christensen spoke of in his sermon on January 17. Rather, this gift was unique and memorable because it came from the heart from a Unity parishioner. This congregant expressed to the two of us more than just a profound sense of joy and gratitude that our church opened our doors to another. In the course of our conversation, she shared a part of her life history. For the past several years she had the opportunity to visit other congregations, attend their worship services, and to join in fellowship with other believers. What made our church special for her was that our little congregation, with a big heart, was the only congregation in which every member greeted her with an affection smile and a sincere “Welcome.”

Watching the heartfelt emotion of our Unity guest, I was proud of our congregation. As the Still Speaking commercials indicated, “Jesus never turned anybody away, neither do we.” I’m proud to be part of a congregation where “bouncers” guarding the entrances with red velvet ropes are non-existent and instead is replaced with the extravagant love of our Lord which seeks to continuously live by the words “here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and see ALL the people.”