Greetings Park friends,
ONE OF MY FAVORITE scriptures is Hebrews 13:2: Don’t forget to show hospitality to guests, for by doing that some have welcomed angels without ever knowing it.
There is so much in this one sentence. For instance, there’s no need to write “don’t forget” to people who always remember. To show hospitality suggests eyes to actually see who’s around you, to be aware of the guests in the room. And it implies a responsibility to take the initiative to reach out with grace. After all, welcoming guests is a spiritual practice. It’s like opening up space in your life for the presence of God. When you do that, well, who knows what might happen?
A poet l like writes this:
Make of your life a welcome home.
Make your heart a buffet of goodness.
Make yourself a front porch, wide,
two chairs, only one step up.
Think of yourself as a free sample,
a rocking chair, a bench by a lake.
People need a place to belong, to matter,
to receive without question.
Round up all your furniture of love and respect,
all your heirlooms of special treatment,
and put them out on the curb.
Go ahead and make a sign that says FREE.
It’s not about airing your laundry, or “being yourself.”
It’s about letting them do that.
I don’t know about you, but I’m someone who forgets and could use a little nudge every now and then to make room for others. Which is one reason I’m very excited about our Rally Sunday and Parking Lot Party on September 18. And I’m inviting you. I’m asking you to invite others. We’re inviting the whole neighborhood!
To you who’ve been at Park for a long time, to those who’ve been away for a while and have been nervous about returning, to those unsure about “church” or don’t trust “church people,” to those just needing a little extra reason for whatever the reason, I’m inviting you. Because on September 18, we’re making room for you. And I’m saying, “Welcome!”
And who knows, maybe we’ll each have the sense that we’ve just welcomed one another as angels without ever knowing it.
Looking forward to seeing you in worship this Sunday. If you’ve been watching online, we’d love to see you in person!
Breathe love and live in the wonder of loving God, others, and our neighbors — just as Jesus loves.
Pastor Gregg
