Creating a Good Feeling in the Room

I watched a programme some time ago about an interior designer. As it’s not a world I know anything about, it was fascinating to discover how you arrange your seating, the furniture you use, the colours and fabrics of a room can all come together to create a particular atmosphere or feeling in the room.

Depending on the room, you might want it to be neutral and available to use for a number of purposes. Maybe it’s a room in which you hold business meetings or, maybe, it’s a room to which you retreat to relax after a busy day.

What was interesting, too, was the way the interior designer spoke to her clients. She wanted to know about their lives, their hobbies and interests, and the things that were really important to them. It was quite amazing the way she could incorporate little details in the furnishings that reflected what was most important to the people living there.

Sometimes, although I’m pretty clueless about these things, I can pick up these vibes in places like nursing homes. When people have had to downsize drastically, it’s hard to make a place feel homely in one room. Yet, some people do this particularly well. They have photos of the special people in their lives, family and friends. They maybe have paintings or pieces of art that create a particular mood. Sometimes, a well positioned lamp, or some books or music, create a most inviting place to enter.

I went into a room once for a contentious meeting. The setting was a round table and those who held different views tended to gravitate to opposite sides of the table and it felt quite adversarial even before we began.

I have sometimes had this sense in interview situations, where you have a panel sitting behind a desk and then a candidate on a single chair facing this interrogation squad!!

When I was a theological student, the college chapel was set up in a round setting where everyone faced each other and, whoever led the service, unless it was communion, was among the assembled congregation rather than up the front. It created a warm sense of community and, while it wouldn’t have worked for larger numbers, it was very effective as we sat together as a community to worship. You recognised that all these people in the room, even though we might have had different personalities and, perhaps, theological viewpoints on certain issues, were one Body under the Lordship of Jesus. They were, and are, my brothers and sisters in the Lord, and we would be together in his service for the duration of our ministry in God’s church, and this was something really important that we shared together.

In recent times, one of the rooms I have been thinking about is our church hall. It’s used for such a variety of activities and organisations, and one of the things I love about it is the atmosphere of welcome no matter what is on. There’s quite a bit of physical labour goes into this.

I sometimes observe people and, occasionally, help a little to lift out all the equipment and resources for toddlers on a Monday morning.

There are big toy cars and prams and dressing up clothes, there are musical instruments and small tables for snacks. There are larger chairs for adults and jigsaws and art materials, and while it takes a fair bit of setting up, it creates a really welcoming and energetic atmosphere.

A similar dynamic is on show with Crafters, where the room is full of tables and chairs and wool and materials, and you can hear conversation and see people helping each other with things.

You have pilates, where the room is full of people and their mats. They are concentrating, but laughing at times. There’s movement and encouragement.

I was at a number of funerals recently. The weather was cold and wet and damp. People’s hearts were heavy and sad, and it was a powerful thing to see the way the atmosphere changed when people were welcomed inside. They were shown to tables beautifully set, there was delicious food, hot tea and coffee and the gentle compassion and kindness with which they were served touched something deep within me.

I could see people talking and remembering and, as these conversations unfolded, volunteers quietly made their way around replenishing cups and sandwiches and tray bakes, looking after people and making the worst day of their lives slightly more bearable.

What can we bring of ourselves to make the room a better place?

Sometimes, it’s the interiors, the set up, the furniture that can help. But, more often, it’s the love and community and care that flow from God’s people being together in one room. It becomes a mysterious yet, somehow, tangible thing, almost like a gentle hug even though no one is touching you.

As we remember God’s spirit dwells within us, let’s allow his love to flow out from us no matter what room we find ourselves in.

Look forward to speaking again soon.

Much love to everyone,

Jono.

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