All types welcome to attend church services

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven"

—Ecclesiastes 3:1

Winter is over and the Spring season is finally here although some days felt more like Summer. With the coming of Spring is also the Easter season. It is a special time for Christians as they observe the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ who is alive. For some people, this is the one time of year to go to church because it is what their parents and grandparents did in between the Easter egg hunt and the huge family dinner that followed.

There are many reasons people have for going to church and even more for not attending. I hear so many excuses from not fitting in to the music being too soft or loud. For some it is the only day they have off and they want to sleep in. Perhaps they think it is the day to clean house or complete that home project.

Whatever your reason or excuse may be, isn't this year an opportunity to do something different and attend church on Easter? Hebrews 10:25 tells people not to forsake the assembling together. Going to church is an opportunity to join others in worshipping God. While you can worship God alone there is something special being with others.

You don't have to be a special "type" to attend church. A popular song tells us that "red, yellow, black, and white they are special in His sight". A friend of mine included the word "brown" in his rendition of the song meaning that all of us are precious to God. In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "...Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven".

As my husband pointed out Jesus didn't say only children with clean hands and faces could come to Him. I can imagine Jesus' delight having dirty, smelly children crawling all over him leaving dirty handprints on his robe.

Gone are the days of women attending church in fine dresses with hats and gloves and all men in suits and ties. Looking through a catalog I even noticed the absence of the frilly Easter dresses and hats for little girls. While some people still dress up for Easter, others come in their everyday clothes.

Tucumcari has many fine churches to choose from with a variety of worship services. Some churches offer traditional, reverent worship with pianos and organs while others are loud and boisterous with guitars and drums. There are small churches and large ones and even churches with the services in Spanish. There is a church out there that will fit the needs of everyone.

It is said that 80 percent of people who are invited to church will attend so I am personally inviting readers to attend church on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. I encourage those who attend regularly to invite someone to join you as it is often easier to go with someone you know. I realize there are some who are physically unable to attend or have to work but for others don't let excuses get in your way. I am going to be in church on Sunday.

Where will you be?

Debra Whittington is a longtime resident of Tucumcari. Contact her at: [email protected]