I REALLY GOT THAT WRONG.

Churches inevitably attract people into the congregation who to say the least are demanding individuals to our way of thinking and who, if we are honest, we wish sometimes we could avoid. In my time at Church of Christ the King in Brighton (Now Emmanuel Church) I remember a middle-aged guy - we'll call him Paul - who tended to engage you in long , wondering conversations that seemed to me to lead nowhere. I came out of the Church offices one evening and there, a few steps in front of me, and going in my direction was Paul. I cannot be the only person alive who in this situation has thought , 'if I just walk very slowly I won't catch up with him and won't have to talk to him.' I slowed down, but as I did so was really convicted about an ungodly attitude, so I quickened my pace and caught up with him. So far so good and then the rambling conversation started. In the course of this Paul threw a question at me, 'Is there any place in your church for someone who is artistic?' I immediately felt that Paul probably didn't really feel at home in our church and perhaps he was aware that people tried to avoid him, like I had almost done a few minutes earlier. So now out of some guilt for my earlier attitude mixed with some pastoral concern that here was someone attending our church who felt he wasn't really wanted I began to wax lyrical about the need for artists in the church. I ranged through musicians, song writers, those who could draw pictures and even those who helped to decorate our building. I reached a powerful conclusion by a direct reference to Scripture mentioning Bezalel (Exodus 31) who was specifically filled with the Spirit of God to make artistic designs, working in silver and gold for the building of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant. It was at this point he stopped, looked directly at me and said: 'Not artistic, John, autistic.' I really got that wrong! But I struggled through assuring him that everyone was really welcome in the local church and everyone was wanted and needed. But it stuck with me; did I really want someone in the church who from my perspective seemed demanding because he was autistic. I often quote Colossians 3:11 ' Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.' Where is the "Here" in this verse? Surely it refers to here in the Christian community, or here in the Church. Rightly we can apply that verse to racism and proclaim not "Here" - not in the Church. But I also see in that verse suggestions of snobbery, that we can think certain people are beneath us because they are a bit different to the type of person I am. But if Christ is all then it means that Christ is all that matters and whether we're artistic, autistic are aristocratic it's one Church for all God's people.