Our reading for Sunday May 2 included chapter 19 in the Gospel of Matthew. That chapter includes what is at the same time one of my most favorite and yet one of my least favorite passages. I love the fact that Jesus wanted to have the children close to him. I loathe the fact that his disciples wanted to keep them away. As I read that passage yesterday with members of our Evangelism Team, I got to wondering just how we disciples might be keeping people of all ages away from Jesus. Seems to me that the work of the disciple is to get people closer to Jesus. I can, proudly in fact, point to many ways that we work hard at Christ Church to do just that. But might we do even more? Are there ways that we keep others away without even realizing it? Studies show conclusively that the best way to get people into the church is for individuals to simply invite them. Will you invite someone to attend church with you? 87% of people who visit a church do so for that very reason. When have you invited someone to church? Could you failure to do so be yet one more disciple standing in the way? Keep reading. Blessings, Pastor Jan