10/21/2026
A Place at the Table: A Word Along the Way
Church is something we do together.
That might seem like an obvious statement, but I think it's one worth remembering, especially as we approach an important moment in the life of our congregation.
Next Sunday, we will gather for a Congregational Business Meeting, and I want to encourage each of you to make every effort to be there.
We'll be sharing information about a potential new church home and voting on whether to move forward with the offer. We'll also be looking at the slate of nominees for our church councils, the people who will help guide and support our ministry in the coming year. And, of course, we'll share a potluck meal together. (Because what would a church gathering be without food?)
And I want to be very clear: this invitation is for everyone.
Whether you are a longtime member, a newer member, a regular visitor, or someone who simply considers FCC part of your community, you are welcome. While only members will cast votes, everyone is invited to come, listen, ask questions, share in the conversation, and enjoy the meal.
Because we aren't a church for just a few members. We are a church for all God's people.
I've been thinking lately about the difference between being invited somewhere and truly feeling like you belong. In my life, I can name only three churches where I've felt wholly and completely welcome. FCC is one of them.
And when I think about what that kind of welcome looks like, I think of Stew.
Some of you may remember him as the "Candy Man," a name the kids gave him because he always seemed to have a few small candies tucked into his pockets. But what I remember most is his smile and his hearty handshake.
The first Sunday I walked through the doors, Stew greeted me like he was genuinely happy I was there. And the remarkable thing is that his welcome never seemed to fade. He didn't treat me as less because I was new. He didn't pressure me to join something, volunteer for something, or become someone different. He simply made me feel loved, accepted, and welcome, in the simplest and most graceful ways.
To this day, when I think about how I want to welcome others, I picture Stew. His face, his smile, and the spirit of genuine joy he carried with him.
Stew taught me something about belonging without ever needing to put it into words.
Sometimes the most powerful way we share God's love is simply by making someone glad they showed up.
That's the kind of church I want us to continue being.
One of the things I love about our tradition as Disciples of Christ is that we take seriously the responsibility of the congregation to discern its own direction. We don't leave the future of our church solely in the hands of a pastor or a handful of leaders. We trust that the Spirit moves among us, through our different experiences, perspectives, questions, hopes, and gifts.
That means your presence matters.
Not because we need to fill seats, but because this community is richer when we gather together. Your questions matter. Your hopes matter. Your willingness to listen, participate, and help shape our future matters.
We have spent a great deal of time over the past year talking about what it means to be a church that doesn't simply exist for itself, but lives out its faith in the wider community. We've dreamed, planned, prayed, and worked toward what comes next.
Now, we have an opportunity to take another step together.
And I think there's something beautiful about the fact that we'll do all of this around a shared meal. After discussing buildings and leadership, we'll sit down together, pass the food, share stories, and enjoy one another's company. A reminder that our life together is about far more than the decisions we make.
After all, we are people of the Table. A people who believe there is room for everyone, that every person brings something valuable, and that community is built through showing up for one another.
At Christ's Table, we don't ask how long you've been coming, whether your name is on a membership roll, or whether you've figured out exactly what you believe. We simply say, "Whoever you are, you are welcome at Christ's Table."
I hope that same spirit of radical welcome shapes every table we gather around, including the ones where we make decisions about our future.
So, I hope you'll join us next Sunday. Come with your excitement. Come with your questions. Come with your hopes for what might be. Come to learn, to listen, to participate, and to share a meal.
And when you see someone you don't know, perhaps you can offer them a smile, a handshake, or a place beside you. You never know how much that simple gesture might mean.
Most importantly, come knowing that you have a place in this community.
Because the future of First Christian Church isn't something that happens to us.
It's something we create together, with God's love leading the way.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Elijah
