The other night at Evensong, the second reading was the end of St Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

It’s not one of those passages which makes the preacher’s heart leap with delight. In essence, it’s a list of names, each of whom Paul says is praying for, or sends greetings to, the church at Colossae.

I compared it in my sermon to a passage by the great comic writer P. G. Wodehouse – known to many as “Plum” – in which Bertie Wooster rattles off the guest list for a house party in the South of France. Both feel like a relentless recital of names and places, leaving the reader wondering about their purpose.

For me, there’s one big difference between the two. Everything about the Wodehouse passage is designed to create a sense of exclusivity. The place names are those associated with and frequented by a narrow, wealthy stratum of society, while the people’s names emphasise the closed intimacy of Bertie’s social circle.

The implication is that the reader ought to know who these people and places are, and if they don’t, they are in some way lacking.

By stark contrast, the whole purpose of Paul’s list, coming at the end of a complex letter full of Christian teaching for a newly established church, seems to be inclusivity.

By emphasising how many other people are part of this exciting new fellowship, Paul is drawing the Colossians further into both the love of God and the church community committed to that same God, demonstrating just how expansive both can be.

He explains that the Colossians are part of a wider movement, and that lots of people are alongside them and praying for them. He mentions women and men, as well as his own suffering in prison, underlining that there is nobody, and no place, outside the bounds of God’s love and the Christian faith.

Church communities, today just as then, have a choice in terms of the fellowship and welcome they offer. They can be tight-knit, intimate and closed, as in the delightful but narrow world of Bertie Wooster. Of course, there is some value in this. Great friendships can bloom from such communities, as well as dedicated gatherings of faithful, prayerful and generous people.

But I would gently suggest that the route articulated in our Bible reading – a community of expansive welcome, of prayer for neighbours and strangers, of relationships and commonality stretching across geographical boundaries – is both a warmer one and one with a greater chance of numerical and spiritual growth.

Never is this more important than in times of trouble and turbulence, when so many of us are crying out for connection, community and companionship.

As people of faith, our calling is to draw others in, not keep others out; to provide a safe, hospitable space for all, rather than a few; and to spread the good news of Jesus Christ as far as we can, rather than keep it to ourselves.