With 100,000 or so residents, Koloszvar is one of the largest cities in Transylvania, where a large population of ethnic-Hungarian Unitarians resides. A ministerial colleague of mine visited there many years ago for their General Assembly, with nearly 5,000 Transylvanian Unitarians in attendance! (Can you imagine?) My blue and white embroidered stole is a gift he brought for me to celebrate my ordination.
He tells me that during his strolls around the metropolis, he noticed something quite baffling and quirky. Many (most) shops had no signage whatsoever informing consumers what type of commerce took place inside. He could wipe a circle in the steamy shop windows and peer inside and figure out through deductive reasoning that Shop #1 was a butcher, Shop #2 sold candy, and Shop #3 showcased the famed local embroidery. But no signs! Even more puzzling was the apparent dearth of cafes and restaurants. Where was that mouth-watering aroma of food coming from anyway? Playing the sleuth (and getting hungrier by the minute), he discovered a series of courtyards tucked away from the streets, also unmarked and only known to “insiders.” Life was going on in those courtyards and shops – eating, drinking, laughing, vigorous conversation, connection – and he stumbled upon it all with a bit of perseverance, yet mostly by accident.
At times, I wonder if newcomers to our UU congregations might feel a bit like my colleague. Are they peering in “windows” attempting to figure out how to attend a potluck dinner or sign up for an adult faith development course? Do they wonder if they have to pay for nursery care? Is it okay if my child attends Sunday School and if so, where is it? Where are the bathrooms? Do visitors sometimes find themselves wandering around trying to locate the appealing sounds and aromas wafting from the “courtyards” where church life takes place?
Those of us who have been regulars or “insiders” within our community can do so much to help visitors and newer members get their bearings and feel visible and known. Sometimes it’s as simple as wearing a nametag (hint, hint), a brief chat with a new face at coffee hour, or introducing yourself to a visitor in the Sanctuary. Perhaps you might take the initiative to personally invite a newcomer to an event or activity you believe they would enjoy or may not know about. Or, you could ask the minister or Office Administrator for a list of newer folks to involve in projects and committees. We might assess whether our signage is inviting and informative. Can folks passing by tell how we are different from the church down the street? In a real sense, we are all called to be greeters and guides at Eastrose’s front door.
May the folks who enter our midst feel not only welcome and affirmed, but also actively welcomed and informed. Hol van a kávézó? (that’s “Where is the café” in Hungarian)…just in case!
In faith,
Rev. Robin