HOSPITALITY: A Space where change can take place

During month of February, the focus of our worship turns to “hospitality.”  While the word “hospitality” is often associated with images of “entertaining guests,” we will reflect on hospitality as the spiritual practice of welcome.    We begin by remembering that our welcome of “the other” is rooted in God’s unconditional welcome of us.

Anchoring our reflection these coming weeks are these words from Henri Nouwen (in Reaching Out):  “Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy.  Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer space where change can take place.”   

Looking ahead…

February 5:  Hospitality:  God’s Welcome

Sermon: Dawn Yoder Harms;  Psalm 36:5-9; Luke 7:36-50;   Romans 15:7

Reflection question:  When have you met God in the stranger?

Communion;   Worship music: Chancel choir

 

February 12:  Life-Changing Hospitality 

Sermon: John Tyson;  Acts 10:1-48

Reflection question:  When have you experienced hospitality as “a space where change takes place?”

Worship music:  Chancel Bells

Noon:  Guess who’s coming to dinner?

 

February 19:  Obstacles to hospitality

Sermon:  Dawn Yoder Harms;  Luke 10:38-42

Reflection question:  What gets in the way of your extending welcome/hospitality to others?

 

February 26:  Welcoming “strangers in the land“

Sermon:  John Tyson;   Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 17-19;  Exodus 23:9

Reflection question:  How might we extend God’s welcome as we interact with migrants in our community?

Worship music:   Jr. Choir