This morning Monieca & I walked to the market, a weekly gathering of vendors in downtown Sacile. It’s a cross between a farmer’s market and a nice flee market. While we looked at a lot of stuff, our only purchase was some pink lilies for Jacqueline. Afterward we purchased some sandwich meat from a butcher for sandwiches.
An interesting and challenging aspect to all this is the language barrier, especially in the smaller towns like Sacile. Another challenge is the custom of stores and many restaurants closing for two or more hours in the afternoon. Thus going out for lunch is not so simple.
In large cities like Rome and Florence, most merchants speak some English and stores stay open all day. Tourism is a major part of their economy and Americans are present in large numbers.
In Sacile and other small towns, English is less common and local customs prevail. Thus the tourists must accommodate the locals, not the other way around.
I have to admit it’s been frustrating at times. I wanted to buy tomatoes today for our lunch time sandwiches, but the fruit markets had already closed at 1:00 pm, not to reopen until about 4:00 pm.
Rome and Florence want tourists and the business they bring. Small towns are friendly to tourists, but they’re not upset if there are no tourists.
I think churches tend to fall into similar categories. Some eagerly prepare to serve the needs of guests, while others are friendly but expect the guests to fit in and find their own way. Thus being friendly is not enough if we want God to use us to reach people.
As we prepare for a new year of ministry at First Baptist Church, each of us should examine our attitude toward guests and our support of the various efforts our church makes to serve their needs. While small towns are quaint, we need to have the attitude of a big city if we want to grow. We want our guests to know we want them at First Baptist Church. So let’s do more than just be friendly when people visit our market…church.
Pastor Steve Hogg
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