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If you are visiting our site for the first time, Welcome! We hope you’ll take a moment to click through the site and learn more about the things we are up to at The Congregational Church of Littleton.
We are a progressive Christian congregation working hard to love our neighbors as ourselves through worship, service and companionship. You are most welcome to join us on a Sunday morning for our 10am worship service or give our pastor, Rev. Jen a call anytime.

SPECIAL EVENTS

A Divine Welcome

Dear Friends,
Change is all around us.

We see it in the increasingly barren trees and the leaves that litter our yards. We feel it in the crisp morning air and see it on the car windshields that suddenly need scraping. And, of course, we see it in the stores, where brightly colored Christmas lights have been flashing since mid-October. (Apparently, even the seasons aren’t allowed to take their turns anymore!)

Change. It seems to be everywhere.

There is another change I’ve become attuned to recently. It isn’t one I’m particularly fond of, although I confess I’ve caught myself participating in it. I wonder if you’ve noticed it, too.

It’s the way we respond when someone says, “Thank you”.

I was taught that the proper response was, “You’re welcome”. But these days, it seems that “You’re welcome” has been replaced by “No problem”.

Now, I know this isn’t exactly an earth-shattering development. And I’m sure that when someone says “No problem”, they mean it kindly. But I’ve been thinking about the difference between those two responses, and I wonder if there’s something worth noticing.

What does it mean to say, “You’re welcome”?

When we welcome someone, we open ourselves to them. We welcome people into our homes, our workplaces, our churches, and our lives. When we welcome someone, we intentionally make room for them. We offer something of ourselves, even if it’s only a few moments of our time or a little bit of kindness.

Welcome has intent.
“No problem”, on the other hand, seems to say something different. Perhaps it means that helping wasn’t an inconvenience. If the cashier wasn’t bagging my groceries, they ’d be bagging someone else’s, so really, it was no problem at all.

But here’s what I find most interesting about the difference.

“You ’re welcome” puts the focus on the person receiving the kindness. YOU are welcome. You matter. I am glad I could do something for you.

“No problem” puts the focus on the person offering the kindness. It was no problem for me.

One response emphasizes the other person. The other emphasizes ourselves.

Now, I ’m not suggesting that we launch a campaign to eliminate “No problem” from our vocabulary. There are probably more important things for the church to tackle! But I do think there’s a little bit of theology hiding in these everyday words.

As we move into November, the month when we pause to give thanks, I find myself imagining what God might say in response to our gratitude.

When we thank God for the beauty of creation, for the people we love, for the blessings we have received, I don’t imagine God responding, “No problem”.

I don’t picture God saying, “Well, I was creating the platypus anyway, and I figured humanity might be a nice addition while I was at it.”.
No. I imagine God responding with something much more wonderful.

“You are most welcome. I created all of this with you in mind.”

Because throughout scripture, we encounter a God who creates with love, gives with generosity, and welcomes us with grace. A God who doesn’t simply tolerate our presence but delights in it. A God who makes room for us and invites us to make room for one another.
And perhaps that is what makes our stewardship theme this year so meaningful.

“Let’s Make Something Beautiful”
Our stewardship campaign concludes on November 8, but the invitation behind those words extends far beyond that Sunday.
God has already given us a beautiful world, a beautiful community, and the beautiful gift of belonging. And now God invites us to participate in the ongoing work of creation.

To make something beautiful together.

Every act of generosity, every hour volunteered, every pledge made, every kindness shared is one way we say “yes” to that invitation. Our gifts aren’t simply about paying bills or maintaining a building, although those things certainly matter. They are about making room for ministry to happen. They are about welcoming people who haven ’t yet found us, caring for neighbors who need us, and creating a community where God’s love becomes something people can actually see and experience.

When we give to the church, we are saying to one another, and to people we may never even meet, “You are welcome here. There is room for you. You matter.”.

And isn’t that a beautiful thing to create?

As our stewardship campaign comes to a close on November 8, I hope you’ll prayerfully consider how you might help us continue making something beautiful in the year ahead. Not out of obligation, but out of gratitude for all that God has already given us, and out of excitement for what we might create together.

When my family and I gather around the Thanksgiving table this year, I know that among the blessings I will name is this congregation. I will thank God for the generosity, laughter, faithfulness, compassion, and wonderfully imperfect people who make up our church family.
And because I believe God gathered this community with love and intention, I can almost hear God’s response:

“You ’re welcome.”

And perhaps, with a smile, God might add:

“Now, let’s see what beautiful thing we can make together.”

With you on the journey,
Rev. Jen