All are welcome

As I was preparing for a sermon a couple of weeks ago, based on the parable of the wedding feast, in which the master, having had his invitation to the feast rejected by his guests, sends his servants out to gather anyone he can find to join him so that the banqueting hall was full, a free gift for all, I was reminded of a sign at Coventry Cathedral someone had uploaded to social media several years ago. The image was soon hailed as lovely and brilliant, you may have seen or heard it before, the sign read.

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, confused, filthy rich, comfortable or dirt poor.

We extend a special welcome to wailing babies and excited toddlers.

We welcome you whether you can sing like Pavarotti or just growl quietly to yourself. You’re welcome here if you’re ‘just browsing’, just woken up or just got out of prison. We don’t care if you’re more Christian than the Archbishop of Canterbury, or haven’t been to church since Christmas ten years ago.

We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome keep-fit mums, football dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome you if you’re having problems, are down in the dumps or don’t like ‘organised religion.’ (We’re not that keen on it either!)

We offer a welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell or are here because granny is visiting and wanted to come to the Cathedral.

We welcome those who are inked, pierced, both or neither. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down their throats as kids or got lost in the city centre and wound up here by mistake. We welcome pilgrims, tourists, seekers, doubters … and you!

Over the next few months, as we journey through November with its All Souls Services, Remembrance Sunday parade services before entering Advent and approaching Christmas, our church doors will, as they always are, be open to all, all are very welcome to come and worship with us, as we celebrate and mark these special occasions.

Because the gift of Jesus, born at Christmas and celebrated throughout the year in our churches, is a gift for all people all of the time … all are welcome.

All are very welcome!

May God bless you

Heather