The Holy Art of Lingering
A Message from Shelley Regan, Director of Community Engagement sregan@fccedmond.org 405.341.3544
When I was a little girl, Sunday mornings always followed the same pattern: sing, pray, listen to the sermon, and when worship ended, I was ready to head home. But my grandfather wasn't. He would linger, standing in the lobby shaking hands, sharing stories, catching up with friends until nearly everyone else had gone. As a child, I tugged at his sleeve, hoping he would take the hint that I was hungry for lunch and READY TO GO! As an adult, I've come to see the wisdom in his rhythm. He knew the Spirit moved in those unhurried conversations just as surely as in the sanctuary.
I never would have guessed as a child, but now one of my favorite parts of church life comes after worship. The last song has been sung, the benediction spoken, but people don't rush out the door. Conversations carry on in the aisles, lobby, fellowship hall, with kids running in circles and friends leaning in to listen.
Lingering is more than habit; it’s a holy practice. In a culture that measures worth by speed and productivity, lingering is countercultural. It asks us to slow down and pay attention. It's generous too, because it offers the rarest gift many of us have to give: our time. When we linger, we can listen with care, notice what is often overlooked, and discover how God is at work among us.
Lingering lifts up the ordinary—coffee, bread, conversation—and reveals it as holy abundance. When we make space to linger around a table, we discover there is more than enough time, presence, and love to share.
It’s around Christ’s Table of Love, where we learn to make space so that others may discover God’s love, find meaningful relationships, and grow in their faith. This World Communion Sunday, October 5, we will celebrate the culmination of our Making Space series by setting a table of welcome filled with fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, sweet breads, iced coffees, and Italian sodas. More than a treat, this is an invitation to pause and practice the beauty of unhurried presence.
Let’s slow down, linger longer, and experience what happens when we make space at the table. My grandfather knew it, and I’m learning it still: the Spirit has space to move when we linger.