News from Fair Haven Ministries

Barrels, Barricades, and Open Doors

For much of the summer there has been a constant beeping outside my office windows. While I may try to play some music a little louder, and focus my mind to close out the constant blaring of a front loader, dump truck, or other construction vehicle, there is an ongoing reminder that work is being done to 28th Street. It's not only impacted my sanity, but it has also affected how I get to work and how long it takes (translate that as longer!).

A few weeks ago I did venture south on the dirt and came to the corner of 28th and Rosewood. I watched as a posthole digger re-placed dozens of mailboxes, and it made me realize how many people have been inconvenienced by this project. I've even thought about what the impact has been on some of you in coming to church, maybe wondering if it was worth the bother. Or people that might be looking to visit Fair Haven, but could not get here easily with the barrels and barricades in the way and so opted not to come.

But those aren't the only obstacles to coming to church.

We can often be just as much of a blockage to new people checking Fair Haven out (and I include myself!). Maybe they visit and nobody greets them or even acknowledges them. Maybe there is no one to direct them to the nursery or a Promiseland class. Maybe life's pressures are piling up and they just need a word of invitation and encouragement, but we remain silent.

With Fall Kick-Off this Sunday we'll probably have a fair amount of guests visiting Fair Haven - if they can navigate 28th Street! They'll be investigating whether Fair Haven is the kind of church that can reach out to them and their family. Will you join me in working hard to provide open doors that seek to make the entry easy for everybody rather than putting out barrels and barricades?

Let's begin to pray now for the people God wants to bring to Fair Haven . . . pray for a moving in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, pray for an opportunity to share an invitation with someone you know needs to be here, and pray for ministry that can be welcoming and encouraging . . . and oh yeah, we can pray for the construction to be completed and the beeping to stop!

Thanking God for you,

Tom De Vries