Remember the game you played in Sunday School as a little kid: “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the doors, and see all the people!” But right now, it’s more like “…open the doors and there are no people?” That’s because the church being not limited to a building is quarantined in their houses. Here in Minnesota, our governor just announced a “peacetime emergency” in place until May 13. I am guessing that means no big gatherings in church buildings.

So what can we do in our homes to encourage one another? Watch this Video, check out this Facebook page or read below:

During the Easter season, seven churches have come together to create the Front Door Movement. They include: St John’s Lutheran Church in Lakeville, MN with Pastor Heather Roth Johnson; First Lutheran Church in Colombia Heights, MN with Pastor Bonnie Wilcox; Easter Lutheran Church in Eagan, MN with Rachelle Gill, Director of Children’s Ministry; Christ the Savoir Lutheran Church in Fishers, IN with Robin Patras, Director of Children’s Ministry; Lutheran Church of Peace in Maplewood, MN with Pastor Liz Eide; United Presbyterian Church in Jamestown, ND with Rachel Holsten, Director of CYF Ministries; and First English Lutheran Church in Cannon Falls, MN with Kris Hertsgaard Kincaid, Director of CYF Ministries.

What does the Front Door Movement do? In Matthew 7, Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Jesus here gives us a way to pray with progressive intensity. First ask, then seek, and finally knock. These congregations have joined together in prayer by asking God for help and to seek Christ’s love, and to encourage people to use their front doors in a way to witness to their neighborhoods! Right now, we cannot invite people to knock on our doors nor would it be safe to invite the public in. But front doors can be a source of encouragement for passerbys by simply placing a cross on it. Any kind of cross will do; some sample doors are pictured below. The point is that we are not “gatekeepers” of the faith, but that our front doors can share the source of hope and love that dwells in our homes, and that source is the cross of Christ.

Are you interested in joining the movement? Here is what to do:

1. Find a cross that you have, make one, or color one: Cross 1 or Cross 2

2, Add it to your front door, and don’t forget to pray!

3. Snap a photo and add it to this Facebook page.

If you want to do this with confirmation students or families or your congregation, here is an easy lesson plan: Confirmation at Home Lesson on Front Door Crosses

Don’t forget this: Neighborhood sidewalks are flooded with people these days by walking the dog, riding their bikes, and getting exercise as family. Wouldn’t be a wonderful witness to see thousands of front doors covered in the hope and love of the cross? Maybe when it is safe again to come out of homes, there might just be someone who knocks on a church door because they were moved by your cross? Any questions? Just ask!