Perfect Timing
I was running late to church and in a BIG hurry. I needed to get 12 boxes of donuts and 12 large breakfast pizzas from inside Casey’s to my car, and it was quite the operation!
The order was unusually large, and it took three trips just to get all the donut boxes out the door. As I was balancing another load in my arms, someone kindly opened the door for me and asked, “Where are you going with all those donuts?”
Without missing a beat, I replied, “To the grand opening of our church at Seneca Grade School South!”
And apparently that announcement was made to the entire Casey’s store.
“Everyone is invited! We have tons of donuts and breakfast pizza… but even more importantly, we have TONS of space!”
The wild thing is, I honestly don’t remember specifically inviting the firefighters. I just remember being in a hurry, carrying enough breakfast food to feed a small army, and declaring to anyone who would listen that we had food, we had space, and they were invited.
That Invitation Was Heard Loud And Clear
Pat Ugolini, our Seneca Campus Pastor, however, remembers opening day from a slightly different perspective. Because when you’re launching a new church location, the last thing you expect to see pulling up outside is a firetruck.
Your immediate thought is, Oh no. What happened? Did we pull a fire alarm?
But no, there wasn’t an emergency. Just firefighters showing up after hearing about a church with donuts, breakfast pizza, and plenty of room.
And honestly? That’s a pretty great way to start a Sunday.
Sometimes, the best invitations aren’t planned out or perfectly worded. Sometimes, they happen in the middle of a hectic morning, with your arms full of donuts and your mind racing through everything that still needs to get done.
You simply tell people what’s happening and let them know there’s room for them.
That’s what we want The Village to be. A place where people know they’re welcome, where there’s room to belong, and where an ordinary invitation can lead to something meaningful.
So whether you hear about us at Casey’s, from a friend, or simply happen to drive by, consider this your invitation, too.
We have room for you at The Village. And if there are donuts involved, even better!
We are one church with multiple locations. You can check out each of our campuses from our Website Main Page