LOST IN TRANSLATION

Cherylyn Radford, Bowridge Interim Site Pastor

Way back in 2001 my husband and I packed what we could fit in our Corolla (which is really not a lot) and left Canada. We were headed to Texas to live for two years. We had no idea what Texas was like. We thought Texas was just a warmer, further south, Alberta—and we knew all about Alberta. How very wrong we were.

Everything was different. They had never heard of Shreddies. Tea was served cold and with enough sugar to make 1,000 cookies. They talked funny—not just the accent, but they had strange ways of putting things. As if that wasn't foreign enough, I had gotten a job teaching in an all-black school in Oakcliffe, a predominantly black neighbourhood in Dallas. What we thought was a simple move ended up being a massive culture shift we were not prepared for.

We were alone in a culture we thought we knew, but barely understood. We all spoke English but the words often meant different things.

The only thing that kept us from running for the hills were small pockets of people who generously welcomed us. We went to New Years dinners and learned about black-eyed peas and collard greens. We had Thanksgiving with the extended family of co-workers. We were invited to football games and small groups and did fried chicken runs with colleagues.

The second year, we lost four very dear family members and friends in a span of two months. We felt absolutely alone. It was right at that point that I had a co-worker tell me she forgot I was white, which is something I never forgot, being the only white person in a sea of 300 people. But not her. She just saw me. Not as an outsider, but a co-labourer as we worked with kids. She helped me feel so much less alone. We were generously welcomed and that made all the difference.

I wonder if it is the same for people who walk in the doors of RockPointe for the first time. Our culture is vastly different; we might speak the same language, but our words sometimes mean something different. We stand and sing songs that don't get a lot of air time outside of Shine FM. Sometimes we sing about blood, which—let’s face it—is pretty weird. We have a particular way of doing things that you don’t see much in the rest of the world. It’s a culture many people new to church barely understand. They may walk into our buildings and be surrounded by people, but feel utterly alone.

What if the only thing keeping someone new from running for the hills is us? When we smile and introduce ourselves. When we say, “I am so glad you’re here. Come and sit with me.” When we help a parent find the Children’s Ministry rooms. When we make sure they know the coffee is on and it’s free and let them go ahead of us in the line. When we get really bold and invite someone new to join our small group. When we invite that family we don’t know yet to join us for lunch or connect with them for coffee during the week. When we listen and hear what they are not saying and offer to pray with them. When we do the little things that let people know they are so very welcome.

All those years ago I was truly seen and it made a big difference. I was welcomed by people who went out of their way to include me in a culture that made no sense to me at the time. I pray that we at Rockpointe will do that, too. That we would see those we share a row with and welcome them, not only with our words, but with our actions. That we would generously welcome all, both those new to RockPointe and those who have been there for years but we don’t know yet. May we be the ones who help interpret the culture of the church and point people to Jesus, who makes all the difference.