Have you noticed the fabulous group of volunteers wearing their orange lanyards known as the “Hospitality Team”? What they accomplish in the 50’ X 22’ foyer and 184 inches – that’s 15’ 4” of coffee corner countertop on each side – is remarkable! (Yes, I measured these areas. ?) The Hospitality Team greets us with smiling faces and warm welcomes at the front doors, they help answer our questions with precision and timeliness at the information desk and they serve us donuts and drinks with excitement and joy at our favorite coffee corner.
The reality is everyone is on the Hospitality Team. Regardless, if you have an official title of hospitality volunteer complete with a fancy orange lanyard hanging around your neck or not; hospitality is still everyone’s responsibility (and privilege). Hospitality is part of our DNA. It has to be!
Hospitality can be defined as "the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way." It is a virtue that is both commanded and commended throughout Scripture. In other words, to be a faithful, obedient and a healthy church all of us need to be hospitable one with another and especially with people we don’t know (strangers). As a matter of fact, the Greek word translated "hospitality" literally means "love of strangers."
I’m wondering if you have noticed something else about Sunday mornings. Have you noticed while walking down the hallway, checking kids into KidZone, sitting in your seat, you are seeing more and more people … like more and more people you don’t even recognize? I have! Which is all the more reason for each of us to realize our hospitality roles as we gracefully care for outsiders as well as our regular family and friends on Sunday mornings.
Each Sunday consider yourself sporting an invisible orange lanyard around your neck. Consider your seating area as 184 inches of your own personal coffee corner space or be super adventurous and consider your area to be 50 by 22 feet, like the foyer, showing stupendous hospitality to those in your area. Look for folks who are sitting by themselves and seem to have an "unengaged" look to them and introduce yourself. Who knows... it could be the start to a new great friendship. But even if it’s not, it’s kind and considerate. And everyone can use that in their life. Right!?
Perhaps this little hospitality reminder is prompting you to become an official Hospitality Team volunteer member. Great! The more the merrier! Let someone wearing an orange lanyard know. However, the bottom line is you are already on the hospitality team either formally or informally. Hospitality – it’s in our DNA. We are all on the hospitality team.
The reality is everyone is on the Hospitality Team. Regardless, if you have an official title of hospitality volunteer complete with a fancy orange lanyard hanging around your neck or not; hospitality is still everyone’s responsibility (and privilege). Hospitality is part of our DNA. It has to be!
Hospitality can be defined as "the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way." It is a virtue that is both commanded and commended throughout Scripture. In other words, to be a faithful, obedient and a healthy church all of us need to be hospitable one with another and especially with people we don’t know (strangers). As a matter of fact, the Greek word translated "hospitality" literally means "love of strangers."
I’m wondering if you have noticed something else about Sunday mornings. Have you noticed while walking down the hallway, checking kids into KidZone, sitting in your seat, you are seeing more and more people … like more and more people you don’t even recognize? I have! Which is all the more reason for each of us to realize our hospitality roles as we gracefully care for outsiders as well as our regular family and friends on Sunday mornings.
Each Sunday consider yourself sporting an invisible orange lanyard around your neck. Consider your seating area as 184 inches of your own personal coffee corner space or be super adventurous and consider your area to be 50 by 22 feet, like the foyer, showing stupendous hospitality to those in your area. Look for folks who are sitting by themselves and seem to have an "unengaged" look to them and introduce yourself. Who knows... it could be the start to a new great friendship. But even if it’s not, it’s kind and considerate. And everyone can use that in their life. Right!?
Perhaps this little hospitality reminder is prompting you to become an official Hospitality Team volunteer member. Great! The more the merrier! Let someone wearing an orange lanyard know. However, the bottom line is you are already on the hospitality team either formally or informally. Hospitality – it’s in our DNA. We are all on the hospitality team.
