A Little Boy’s “Wow”
The Full Bloom Film Festival kicked off this past week right on our Green Space, and it was such a joy to see the space filled with people. Volunteers were busy popping and selling popcorn for missions, neighbors spread out chairs and blankets, and laughter could be heard across the Green Space. We even opened our doors so people could use the restrooms, because sometimes hospitality begins in the simplest of ways.
One of those small moments of welcome turned into something I’ll remember. A mother came up to me with her little boy and asked if they could come inside. I walked them through Memorial Hall, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, the boy froze, his eyes wide. In a loud voice he breathed out, “Wow.” Then he looked around and said, “This is so big—and you have a stage!” His mom told me they come to our playground all the time, but they had never actually stepped inside the church.
That stayed with me. Isn’t it something that here we are, right in the heart of Statesville, with our bell tower rising above the city and our Green Space alive with community events, and yet there are still neighbors who have never walked through our doors? For that little boy, stepping into Memorial Hall for the first time was an experience of wonder. And it reminded me—we have such a gift here. We have a beautiful place, filled with beautiful people, and above all, we have a magnificent God.
When he said “Wow,” I couldn’t help but think that’s the kind of response I hope people have—not just at the sight of a large room or sanctuary, but when they experience the love of Christ in us. That kind of awe is holy ground!
This is why I’m so grateful for the work Anna Murdock and our Congregational Growth Team are doing. During Pumpkin Fest, they are planning a “Windows of Faith” tour so that more of our neighbors can step inside, see our windows, hear the church's story, and feel the warmth of our congregation. What a perfect opportunity for someone who has walked past our church a hundred times to finally step in, look around, and maybe whisper their own “Wow.”
But to do that, we need people willing to smile, to greet, and simply to be present. You don’t have to be an expert—just someone who wants to share the beauty of our church and the love of our God. On Saturday, November 1, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, we’ll open our doors wide, and I hope you’ll consider volunteering. If you’d like to help, just email the church office at bsumc@broadstreetumc.org.
Opening our doors is never just about buildings. It’s about saying to the community, “You are welcome here. You belong.” And sometimes it takes the voice of a child to remind us that what we have here is truly something special.
As the psalmist says, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God” (Psalm 84:1–2). My prayer is that many more will walk through our doors, see the beauty around them, feel the love among us, and leave knowing the joy of the living God. And maybe—just maybe—they’ll say, with hearts wide open, “Wow.”
Peace, Pastor Tracy