It happens so consistently there must be a universal law.

This last week I was in Ohio on a series of speaking engagements.  At each venue something happened that happens in almost every church gathering.  It is not especially evil, but it may result in an unknown loss.   At these gatherings, folks from 3 to 5 congregations gathered for the program.  On each occasion this past week and with great consistency over the years, I have noticed that at such gatherings, folks from the various congregations would sit together.  In fact, with only a few exceptions the social, personal interaction of the attendees was with people from their own congregations.  The folks they see every weekend were the only folks they talked to at a mid-week event.  

It wasn’t evil, rude, prideful or elitist, but I can’t help but wonder what opportunities were lost.  There might have been an opportunity to begin a deep and lasting friendship, learn life-changing lessons, hear a great joke or discover an already existing and precious connection.  Opportunity that is lost because no one took the initiative to sit at a table with new people.  Maybe it is common shyness, lack of self-confidence, fear of interrupting, or the desire not to try to break into a new group.  There are some good and real reasons to not be the one to break the ice.

But my experience is that making the effort to begin a new friendship is almost always rewarded.  The reason I bring this up is that this Wednesday night the Crossroads family has been invited to a social function with the Green Hill Presbyterian family.  I want to encourage everyone involved to make the effort to be the first to introduce yourself.  Who knows, the best thing to come out of the evening, may be a friendship that will last for eternity. Certainly it will last longer than the ice cream dessert we will enjoy.  

Speaking of ice cream, we are asking each family to bring the topping of your choice to share with your new friends.