10/13/2015 3:38:38 PM
What Does Hospitality Look Like?
Posted under: Messenger
Pastor Marc's article from the October Messenger.
I think hospitality looks like what happened on Sunday, September 13th. When we started dreaming of packaging 40,000 meals to feed our neighbors in Bergen County, we didn't know how the neighborhood would respond. We couldn't do this on our own but God was calling us to keep making an impact in Bergen County. We spent months coordinating with other churches to raise money and recruit volunteers. Each week another church jumped onboard. As August approached, we knew that this event would catch fire. We knew the Spirit would bring the 160 volunteers we needed. But I didn't expect that the people would just keep coming. People saw our ads. They shared the event with their family and friends. Groups who signed said they were bringing 2, ended up bringing 10. People in Bergen and Rockland County showed up at our doorstep wanting to make a difference in the world.
This is where we showed true Christian hospitality. The smiles from the greeters at the door, the amazing spread of refreshments put together and continually refreshed to feed 230 of our newest friends, and the army of men and women directing people, plugging people in and making sure they had what they needed to get the job done. Debbie, JoAnn, Tom, Bill, Carla, Jim, Meredith, Jim, Ann, Bill, Doris, David, Florence, Katie, Dot and the countless others who stepped up to lead. You were inspirational and made our new friends feel valued and appreciated. Thank you for that!
And I saw many of our members doing the difficult thing by letting a volunteer from another organization take their place. I know that wasn't easy. It's hard to give this opportunity up. But you showed true Christian hospitality by giving someone you didn't know an opportunity to love and serve. You gave up your spot to train others to serve. You served the servants, living out an important aspect of the Christian life. We created these 41,124 to feed others because we know that Jesus feeds us. We wanted to join in God's work in the world of feeding and nourishing the hands of those who are called to be a Christ to their neighbors. Christian hospitality isn't only about being a good host. Christian hospitality is also helping others live out God's love.
We'll have several opportunities to share our Christian hospitality over the next year from "Walk Thru the Bible" on October 24, Interfaith Thanksgiving Worship in November, the Advent dinner and more. Let's keep living out Christ's hospitality.
See you in church, Pastor Marc