The spiritual practice of hospitality

Everyone is welcome.

Hospitality – when we welcome another into our space we are declaring there is always room for more, we have more to share and that no one is excluded.

Sharing what we have in the gifts of hospitality can be a big deal, or it can be in the very ordinary, daily moments of welcoming another.

The New Testament writers instructed the early church to:

• Encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13a)
• Bear with one another (Ephesians 4:26)
• Teach and admonish one another (Colossians 3:16b)
• Forgive one another (Colossians 3:13b)

All of these activities require deep conversation in which we are called to engage in our own households. One of the primary ways these spiritual conversations can (and do) take place is around a table over a meal.

Here are some ideas to get you started

• If you’re able, invite another family to your home for a meal or afternoon tea. It might be someone from your church community, neighbourhood or people you haven’t seen in a long time.
• Celebrate your children! Put on a ‘special night in’ where the kids become the focus of the home restaurant and can order any of their favourites off the menu and have mum and dad wait upon them. Create a special atmosphere by using candles, restaurant music and setting the table.
• Meet up with friends at a park, organise a way to serve someone in the community together, call friends you haven’t talked to in a while or write a letter.
• The next time you need an item for a recipe, ask one of your neighbours or extended household members.
• Organise a game night (could be online) or movie night and invite extended household members, friends, and/or neighbours.
• Make a list of people you know who might be encouraged by spending time with your household, including neighbours, church friends, or friends of your children.