Pastor Angie's In-Spire-ations May 2017

 The first time we looked at our home, we noticed the neighbors sitting in lawn chairs on their driveway.  There was an empty chair next to theirs.  As we passed by, they waved and smiled.  Each time we visited…there they were!  It didn’t take long to learn the empty chair was for whomever stopped by to chat for a while.  Then we learned that there were more chairs in the garage and visitors can just pop over, grab a chair and “sit a spell,” as my grandmother used to say.  That display of hospitality was one of the selling points for us.
The word hospitality comes from the word hospes.  When we think of hospitality, we often think only of the host…like my neighbors, but this word also includes the guest.  When Jesus visited Martha, he accepted her hospitality.  Then, he turned that hospitality around and shared it with Mary.  The disciples served Jesus.  He turned that around and washed their feet.  It sounds a lot like our mission statement “to BE and MAKE disciples,” doesn’t it? 
YOU offered hospitality to us when we joined your family.  We were leaving our church family of origin to launch into ministry and you opened your hearts to us easing that transition.  I turned that around and offered my accessibility skills to help you swing your door just a little wider for persons with mobility concerns to fully participate in worship.
Last Thanksgiving, you spent intentional time with our neighbors offering them genuine hospitality.  As a result, we have new people in our family.  Who knows where that ripple effect will go?!
Another fun opportunity is coming to share hospitality!  Pastor Chris and I have been meeting with the rummage sale leadership team as we consider how this event stands up to our mission and vision.  New ideas are bubbling up to transform this ministry into a marketplace of hospitality in which we swing our doors open wide for our neighbors.  We want this to be an all-hands-on-deck event, not just because we need your hands to make it happen, but because we don’t want you to miss out on the fun. You know, I’m not sure I have ever looked forward to a rummage sale, but I am looking forward to this one!  We are thinking about how we greet our neighbors when they arrive, how we spend time connecting with them, how we could give them a more enjoyable visit with us by providing opportunities for their children while they shop, providing opportunities for additional sources of assistance for those who may be experiencing difficult situations and more.
Think big…what do you bring to the marketplace?  I can’t wait to see where this goes!!


Pastor Angie


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