Alter Call

At Annual Conference this year, one of the preachers brought to our attention that the word for the holy place at the front of the sanctuary - the altar - is pronounced the same as the word meaning change - alter.

I knew that, and yet the comparison had never hit me before.  We come to the altar, and we are changed - altered.  We often talk about altar calls, but when it comes to change, do we ever speak of an alter call?  Do we ever call for change?

Or are we less afraid of speaking words of faith than we are allowing God to change us?