“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever
welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the
name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes
a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of
the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these
little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of
these will lose their reward.”
***
I think it
is the, “little ones,” who might get this passage the most, because have you
ever seen a kid at a drinking fountain? Sweaty and red cheeked, the line forms
up in front of it, the teacher counting to five so the next kid can take a turn
to drink. Somehow, there seems to be more down the kid’s t-shirt than what must
have gone in their mouth, despite smothering their face into the metal spout.
And on hot days, like at the park, when they push the button and typewriter
their face back and fourth in the cool water and come out dripping. When the
fountain becomes play, with cupped hands under the stream, and toss to make a
friend wet, the concrete becoming splashed until the parents remind them not to
waste. A drink of cold water, to these little ones, is the essence of welcome.
I remember being asked once if I could have invented one thing, responding that
I would have liked to invent the water fountain for this reason. Can you
imagine how many people, especially how many little ones, water fountains have
welcomed?
- Yet, it’s not just water fountains, its the cups of water for the liturgist and preacher that the greeters put in the lecterns and pulpit each Sunday, and how, after preaching, I tend to down the glass during the following hymn so I can speak and sing during the rest of worship. It’s those rare times when my throat gets a tickle or a cough and right there below me is the gift to make it stop.
- It’s how on Easter Sunday the Miles family comes around with the coffee carafe and water pitcher for refills, and the gesture’s way of inviting people to linger and enjoy.
- It’s the Deacons who, at a wedding or funeral reception, walk up to the bride and groom, or deceased’s family, with a glass of water and insist they drink, knowing that if they are not served such, there will not the time to stop and they will unknowingly become parched and dehydrated.
- It’s the tiny glasses of powder, water, stir ridiculously sweet lemonade served at fellowship hour and the giant glasses of apple juice that are coveted by the kids at Open Door.
- It is also the backpack bags of food packed on Thursday mornings for students, and the boxes filled at Bread of Life for families who are likewise food insecure.
- It is also the cards sent by Ivonne Puget, and the rides given by the Ferns.
- It is Spencer Smith showing up at a Deacon’s meeting one week and being liturgist the next.
- It is the McClaughry Family teaching Sunday School and the kids ringing the church bell.
- It is Linda Moxon helping to update those certified under our Child Protection Policy and Lynn Roehm running the background checks.
- 10. It is all our educators, especially at this time of year.
- 11. It is our students, like Sam Hamilton and Calli Ward, who under Sharon Defrees’ leadership with the Honor Society, held a dance here at the church for the Learning Center Students who otherwise would not have the opportunity for a prom or a special meal.
- 12. It is those in the church who see part of our mission as not just to provide a space for our own church groups but also to be welcoming and flexible for such events.
- 13. It is dedication of our Session in not only planning leading and organizing in their own committees but really having a vision for what it means to be a Christian to each person.
- 14. It is each tithe written, or placed in the offering plate and the Finance Committee who so diligently oversees that it goes to serving God and God’s people.
- 15. It is Judy Baker’s ceaseless care taking for her brother and her baking communion bread, and it is anyone who has ever been a caregiver, from anyone from children to the elderly.
- 16. It is Nancy Ames gift of music today, and Ginger Rembold and Nannette Lehman leading us on other Sundays, and Zach Allen and his trumpet on those special Sundays and is you who sing aloud or make a joyful noise.
- 17. It is Melissa Irvine serving on the School Board and Kyra Rohner-Ingram seeking the best for our public Library.
- 18. It is how Dale and Shirley Dodson have a way of inviting people to church and how Sharon McKim is so good at making sure she greets them.
- 19. It is Bob McKim’s delivering what amounts to a fifth of the Baker population and the Buildings and Grounds Committee and knowing the church and manse’s every detail and double checking to make sure everything runs.
- 20. It is Annie exuberantly teaching Zumba to the community.
- 21. It is all those who have provided to the arts in Baker City, from music to drama, to art, and it is all who have ever attended, and clapped.
- 22. It is our firefighters, like Danny O’Neal, Sam and Kate Averett, and our forest service like so, so, so many of you.
- 23. It is our farmers who feed people and livestock like Tracy and Adam Lehman.
- 24. It is our ranchers who wake early to feed and stay up late to care.
- 25. It is the way Tawny Dodson loves her horse, her chickens, and her church.
- 26. It is those that stand up for those who have no voice from students sticking up to a kind who is being a bully, to lawyers who represent the underserved.
- 27. It is Kourtney Lehman from the time she was in middle school attending every church event and being a strong presence on mission trips to now graduating and serving as FFA State President.
- 28. It is anyone who has ever ventured to raise their hand to answer a teacher’s question or help a classmate with a problem.
- 29. It is Sydney and Silas’ hug and exceptional manners, Jake’s leadership, Alex and Maddie’s exuberance, Grace’s sweetness, Coleman and May’s love of jumping from the church steps, and Avery and Nora’s bravery in coming up during children's time to be with new friends.
- 30. It is anyone who has ever held open a door.
- 31. It is anyone who has ever washed while another dried.
- 32. It is anyone who has picked up a piece of trash that wasn’t theirs or taken a misplaced bug outside.
- 33. It is anyone who has ever made a tense group laugh or apologized without provocation.
- 34. It is anyone who has photographed a dew covered spider’s web, or pointed out a rainbow to a stranger.
- 35. It is chains pulling someone out of the snow and shoveling another’s walk.
- 36. It is a coat over your shoulders when the night chillier than expected.
- 37. It is when a bottle of sunscreen becomes a community event.
- 38. It is standing up and offering your seat to anyone older, or frailer, or a parent and their kids.
- 39. It is our mothers, and our fathers, and our church family and the promises we make in baptism.
- 40. It is someone who carries a bandaid in their purse and it covers your blister.
- 41. It is getting your hands all sticky peeling an orange for a kid.
- 42. It is anyone who has ever listened and waited for the story that comes between gasps for breath and giant tears.
- 43. It is anyone who has ever taught someone else, to drive, to read, to ski, to skip rocks, or hit a baseball, or dance, or play an instrument.
- 44. It is everyone who has ever prayed for another person.
- 45. It is anyone who has ever made a card, or a meal, or stopped by to visit the sick, or the dying, or the lonely.
- 46. It is walking forward with your church to take communion.
- 47. It is washing someone else’s feet.
- 48. It is taking your shoes off in someone else’s house even if you have chipped toenail polish or your oldest pair of socks.
- 49. It is waking up early, before first light, to go workout with friend because it’s good for you both.
- 50. It is staying up late doing your taxes. It is voting. It is reading the news and being informed.
- 51. It is sharing your favorite new song on social media, and telling another person Happy Birthday.
- 52. It is helping a friend with a house project that requires more than one person.
- 53. It is writing a thank you note.
- 54. It is serving on a board or being an active participant.
- 55. It is wearing a Baker shirt to a student’s game and cheering them on. Its the, “Thank you for coming.”
- 56. It is being aware of those who are new and asking them questions about themselves and helping them know any unspoken traditions.
- 57. It is complementing a stranger.
- 58. It is entertaining someone else’s children or listening to your elders.
- 59. It is showing up on Sunday morning to this place to sit in these pews. It is just about anytime you show up to this place to do anything you do here.
- 60. Welcome, is a glass of water, to the little ones, yet it is so much more. It is welcoming God.
