Calling all Doorkeepers

I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God…..Ps 84:10 A doorkeeper might seem like quite a lowly occupation, but in reality they are very significant individuals. A doorkeeper observes the flow of human traffic and will step in to ‘defend’ the space if an unwelcome visitor approaches. In the psalm it contrasts this role with the alternative of living in the tents of the wicked. The contrast is obvious, but it is not just the environment which is in stark opposition to each other. God’s dwelling place is symbolised by a house whereas the wicked are in tents. One is static and the other moveable so that it can pop up wherever it is ‘planted’. The asset of infrastructure is a permanent reminder that we are ‘on the map’. We don’t use buildings to symbolise the presence of God like they did with the Temple in Jerusalem, but they are still significant reminders of the importance of Faith in society.
The iconic frontage of the Royal Berkshire Hospital is a testimony to the importance of healthcare in the Reading area. Built and sustained through voluntary donations up until the formation of the NHS it represents the community’s investment in restorative healthcare. In the early days of the hospital you had to be amongst the ‘deserving poor’ to gain access to its facilities. Sponsors were the doorkeepers who kept out the undeserving. Today the NHS is free at the point of need, so deserving and undeserving alike can have access. The recent pressure on A&E has highlighted people’s preference for waiting in the department, knowing that they will be seen, rather than taking another perhaps more appropriate route to meet their current need. Triaging helps to prioritise those who attend, but all are seen and have their concerns listened to. A department that was built for 60 patients a day now sees in excess of 100 with the obvious strain on the infrastructure.
Like the development in healthcare the church opens its ‘doors’ to all, without any judgements being made. In this context the role of the doorkeeper is not to keep undesirables out, but to welcome all and direct them to the source of spiritual encounter. Unlike the NHS we don’t need physical infrastructure to be able to point people to the source of spiritual encounter – we do it through our lives. Nevertheless it is true that a building gives focus to this work and a clear identity to our ‘presence’. Doorkeepers of Overton Methodist – do what God empowers you to do – the supportive ‘infrastructure’ is there to enable you.

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