Story

Regina Fritchman was a Pillar of my home church where I grew up. She sang in the choir and she served our church in many ways. Twenty three years ago, I served on our church council with her. The timing of that service coincided with the need for a new church council President. I had the honor of casting a vote of “yes” for Regina Fritchman. Sure I knew her, but our now more common ground guided us into a friendship that would never have happened had we not served the church together. I loved Regina Fritchman. (Regina passed away many years ago) Some say she was loud and boisterous. Perhaps, that very well could be why I liked her so much. She was an excellent leader. Her and I did not always see eye to eye on topics, but we had a way with each other. That word is RESPECT. I just enjoyed working with Regina and I would go so far to say that she was my church buddy for a period of time. After our service together on council was over, our friendship remained. Although not near the interaction we once had, we always greeted each other with love and cheer. We looked out for each other. Her health began to fade and her mobility had reached a point that she could no longer walk with the choir to the choir loft during the opening hymn as they would proceed to open the service. Instead, Regina would make her way into the choir loft before service began, and stay in her seat at the end of the service, exiting the choir loft afterwards. One Sunday as we were having communion, Regina stayed in her seat as the choir all went to the altar for communion. At this point, this wasn’t uncommon. I had been sitting in an area that was close to her and we had made eye contact and smiled at each other while she was the lone person in the choir loft. The choir returned and communion continued. As per usual protocol, the Pastor would serve those who were unable to come to the altar at their seats. The communion team would direct the Pastor to those who needed communion in their seats. I was apparently not paying much attention to this fact, but the Pastor had never gone into the Choir loft to serve Regina. As I sat there in and out of attention to what was taking place, the Pastor returned to the altar and began the closing portion of our communion service. I knew something was amiss. I wasn’t fully paying attention, and I was pretty sure I never saw the Pastor go to the choir loft. But did he? Regina and I made eye contact again. I wondered. Did she receive communion? I asked my wife. The answer was, we didn’t think so. I had more eye contact with Regina. My heart said, get up and go to the altar and tell the Pastor. But I continued to question and did not make the move. Then it was over. After the service, I found Regina and sure enough, she had been forgotten. Her reply, while I can not pull the exact words, was with understanding. (I just love that woman.) Either way, I felt really bad, and to this day, it still bothers me. My Sister in Christ was forgotten. I know she was not forgotten on purpose. It was a mistake. The team overseeing the communion missed it. The Pastor followed the team, and I sat there questioning it for far too long until it was too late. I am most confident that today, Regina Fritchman is WELL FED and that ”missed meal” was just another opportunity to yield the FRUIT of LOVE. 

End Story

What if your church left you out? What if Jesus left you out?

Could you imagine? I couldn’t even fathom –  if Jesus loved all the people and then afterwards, he realized he forgot you and then said, “I love everyone. My love is for ALL. Sorry I forgot you. I love you too.”

WOW – That just hurts to write. 

Think about that fact for a second. 

We are to LOVE JESUS FIRST. Jesus is always first. #JESUSFIRST. Yet, EVERYONE OF US is FIRST in the heart of Jesus. ALWAYS. 

I would go so far as to say that people who truly know Jesus come to expect this. We don’t question it. I have never heard anyone ask, “How can Jesus love everyone first ALL at the same time?” We don’t question this. We just know He does. ALWAYS. 

Yet, we don’t return that love in the same way. Sometimes we are cut throat. Sometimes we are vengeful. Sometimes we may have a character defect in this area and we don’t know anything other than how to be in the click. Other times, we are forgetful. Other times we think someone else took care of it. Other times we are just human and we make mistakes. The bottom line is:

Sometimes we have left others out.  

Yesterday in church we had communion. There is a newer older couple that has been attending our church. They chose to sit in front of us. As they passed the plates with the communion elements, the woman did not take either Host. It caught my attention. Why did the man take the elements and not the woman? Was she catholic? What was the deal? Was she celiac? Did she have some health issues that prevented her from receiving the meal? I was curious for sure. Then, I watched her as the pastor proceeded with the administration. For the bread, the woman took her empty hand and lifted it to her mouth and simulated eating the bread. For the blood, she took her empty hand and simulated putting the cup to her mouth and drinking the blood. I was not only perplexed, but floored. My best guess is she had some health concerns that prevented her from taking the meal. Either way, it did hurt to watch. It felt like she was left out. I wanted to say something to her afterwards, but what do you say to that? Whatever she was doing, she was doing what she could do to participate. She loved JesusFirst by doing what she could do to receive Him. I am most positive that Jesus loved her first, and quite frankly, her heart mattered more than the physical action. 

Jesus never leaves us out.

Jesus never forgets us.

Jesus loves us ALL FIRST

This is an invitation for us – Not to just know that Jesus always loves us. But to know that we are NEVER forgotten. Because Jesus loves us FIRST, we should also make sure that nobody is LEFT OUT and feels forgotten. 

Don’t Make a Church Foul – Look Around. 

Someone may be sitting in the choir loft.

Someone may be sitting in front of you.

It could be someone in your Sunday School class.

It could be someone sitting right next to you.

DON’T LEAVE THEM OUT. 

Because they are NEVER left out of the heart of Jesus.

Neither are you.