I'm watching a moving van try to back its way into a driveway across the street from my house. As I watch the van's progress, I'm reminded of something our minister used to say, "Remember there's a van in evangelism. When you see a moving van go invite your new neighbors to church." Not a bad idea!
As I watch the van drivers struggle to maneuver their truck into position, I wonder about evangelism -- and being an Episcopalian. We're not the people who will pound on your door and ask if you've been saved. I've been amazed by some of the people who have come to my door. Even when I tell them I belong to a church, have sung in the choir for a dozen years and attend Bible classes regularly, they continue on with their pitch. Episcopalians rather quietly (with some pomp and circumstance) go about the business of worshiping God. Usually we try not to intrude on our neighbors religious choices. So how do we evangelize? How do we grow our ranks?
As I thought about evangelism and my discomfort with the word, I realize I've probably been an evangelist in my own quiet way. The only difference is, I think I've tried to draw people to Christ, not necessarily to my way of worshiping Christ. Unfortunately, that doesn't help to swell the Episcopal church.
As I watched the van struggle to park, I've been writing notes in Thanksgiving cards to a number of friends, some distant, some close. The people I'm sending the cards to are not all church goers but in each card I'm enclosing a Thanksgiving sermon by Peter J. Gomes, from a book of his called Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living.
I read Mr. Gomes' book over the summer and enjoyed the Biblical wisdom and interpretation in his sermons. Now I'm trying to share some of that wisdom with people who may only occasionally darken the door of a church. In a sense, you could say, I'm throwing bread on the water. Who knows where it will go? Maybe this sermon will be read at more than one Thanksgiving table this year. I hope a heart that needs to be touched, will be.
Christ can use me to be an evangelist even when I'm sitting at my dining room table with paper and pen in hand. However, maybe I need to learn how to be a better fisherman for my church. It's time to put down my pen and go and greet my new neighbors. Perhaps a quiet knock will be welcome.
Georgia Beckley Jervey is a life-long Episcopalian writing from Murray Hill NJ.