Coming home

I thought I would share one of my favorite stories. I first heard it from Ron Buford, former director of the God is Still Speaking campaign in the United Church of Christ, a story which has become one of the defining stories of Hope United, grounded in such Biblical stories as the parable of the lost sheep and prodigal son.

A retired minister was riding the train from the city one day when a young man boarded and sat next to him. The young man didn’t look very well—he was skinny and pale, looking like he had been through more trouble in his short life than most would ever know. And as he sat there, this man was a bit anxious and fidgety, every so often looking out the train with a nervous look.

Finally the minister broke the silence and asked in a friendly tone, “So, where ya headed?”

“Home,” he managed to get out.

“Ah, good; it’s good to go home. I bet you’re looking forward to seeing your folks.”

The young man cut him off, “You don’t understand. I haven’t been home for three years, and the last time I was there they told me not to come back. When I left, things were pretty bad.”

“In fact,” he continued, “when I talked to my brother, I told him to have mom and dad, if they wanted me to come home to tie a white rag in a tree by the tracks. You see, in a few miles, this train will go by their property, and there is a large oak tree that you can see from the train.”

“If there’s no white rag in the tree, then I have to just keep riding the train and get off at a later stop.”

It was becoming obvious that this man was growing uncomfortable as the train moved closer to this boy’s old home. Finally, he turned to the older gentleman and said, “Look, do you mind looking out the window for me? I just can’t do it. It’s coming up; it’s just around the bend on the left side. You can’t miss it. Just tell me if it’s ok to look.”

The minister agreed, concerned for the boy, wondering what kind of signal would be left. And as the train turned the bend, with the young man clutching his hands in desperation, toppled over, unable to look out the window, the minister saw something extraordinary.

“Hey son, you can open your eyes now. You got to take a look at this.”

For outside the window, there was not just one white rag tied in that old oak tree, but several hundred. Every branch, every limb, every bush had a white rag on it. There were white rags tied to the fence post, white rags hanging from the windows and the eves and the door knobs. All along the tracks, where his parent’s property came into view was littered with white rags.

My friends, there are many people out there in Georgetown who are waiting to come home, who for whatever reason have been alienated or hurt or turned away, who need to know the kind of home that Jesus Christ can provide, a home where they are accepted for who they are, met without judgment or accusation or condemnation, but embraced with love, the kind of love that can transform your life and make you realize that you are a child of God.

Hope United, a community of faith that is open to all, safe space so you can come home and be overwhelmed by the warmth, the love, the grace of a God who loves you and wants to be close to you, to be nurtured along the journey. Hope United, where the doors are always open, and I mean open, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, divorced, partnered or single, fully accepted, affirmed with the kind of love that transcends, transforms, and makes a difference. Come home, my friends, to Hope United; we’ll tie a white rag outside to let you know you’re welcome.

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found. –Luke 15:32

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas. Click here to visit Hope United’s website.