Welcoming visitors and strangers: a message from The Very Rev. Kevin C. Carroll
A few years ago my wife Jane and I spent two weeks in Australia seeing sights and visiting friends. One Sunday morning we were worshiping in St. John’s Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane. While the priest was delivering the sermon, a curious event occurred: a tourist with a camera wandered through the cathedral, oblivious to what was going on, taking pictures. It was a little distracting to say the least. What was also intriguing was the response of the cathedral staff.
As the would-be tourist stood directly in the crossing, in front of the congregation, snapping away, the priest delivering the sermon did not miss a beat. She kept on preaching like the person was not there. One of the ushers, who had obviously dealt with this before, very graciously walked up the person, shook their hand, and gently guided the person to the side and explained what was going on. The traveler was offered a seat and joined the congregation for the duration of the service.
I experienced something similar last week during a week-day Eucharist here at All Saints’. . . .