The Visitors' Book

One of the sheer delights of worshipping at Bloomsbury is meeting the visitors who come to be with us. And on a really good day, some of them sign our vistors book. The comments and remarks are always worth reading. Sometimes, people are returning after a long time away, and their reflections on continuity and difference are fascinating and insightful. It also gives us a chance to track where our visitors come from and to greet them accordingly.
But recently we have had several visitors who have been unhappy about something they have encountered in being with us, and they have chosen to leave advice in the visitors' book for us. Whether or not their advice is appropriate is not concerning me at the moment - what is intriguing me is our reaction to this. I find for myself, that when I first read such comments I become very defensive - what do they know, what gives them the right to make comments when they are only here for one visit, they should try and work with the realities that make up our life before telling us how to do it better..... and so on. I am sure you can imagine the kinds of phrases that go through my mind.
But then I try to rethink this reaction. For, if people feel strongly enough about whatever it is to put it into writing, and leave it for us, then surely they need to be taken seriously. Whether or not we agree with what is said, that people have been interested, concerned or perhaps even uncomfortable enough to want to say so, then it is important that we hear what is said.
It is hard, though. I love this church, and I am proud of who we are and what we do. I know we don't always get it right - but I don't like other people, especially people I don't know, telling me so. However, such defensiveness is not a useful response, for it will stop me hearing some things we need to hear. It takes grace - and humour - to step away from the defensive position. And it takes community. I find that it is so helpful to hear what others in the team and in the church have to say in response to the comments. With our combined wisdom, and humility, we can usually make a fair judgement of what is being said, and how much attention we need to give it.
God give me - and us - the grace to hear what other bring us of possibility and change.
And thanks to God for the grace and generosity of those who leave the comments - the critical ones, and the (much more frequent) appreciative ones.