Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices - Blogs

April 2, 2012

UP2U

On the trip down to Florida, my sister shared some gum.

Her church had handed the packets out on Palm Sunday.

The message: it's up to you to invite someone to church on Easter Sunday.

Every time she has offered me a piece of gum, she talked about who she might invite.
Before we Episcopalians smugly dismiss the gum packet as too much of a gimmick for the serious work of evangelism, it might help to know that her congregation has 4,000 members.

They didn't get that way by simply opening the doors and wishing people would flock in for Sunday services.

At Christmas, members received a cd with a simple request: as an act of kindness during Advent, pay for the order of the next car in a fast food line. The cd included a business card of sorts for the cashier to give to the unsuspecting recipients. It talked about sharing God's love -- and an invitation to experience that love at the church.

I hope we all have considered who we might invite to Easter service. What better time to witness the glory of the risen Christ? The choir is bringing out the big guns, sopranos whose high A's can rock the rafters. The altar is adorned with tulips and lilies, and the priest has shined his or her best sermon with compelling anecdotes and insight.

If we haven't thought about it, then maybe it's time for a quick run to the drugstore for a pack of Mentos gum.

If it is to be, it's UP2U.