Thursday, February 15, 2007
Hospitality inventory for a local church
I've been wanting to share this for a while, and since I've also been desiring to get back into the rhythm of blogging and while inspiration (or homework procrastination?) strikes, here it is.

This was put together by Dr. Christine Pohl who taught both the hospitality and community courses I've taken over the past couple of months.

What are we doing in church that communicates welcome?

If we walked around the church and did a "hospitality inventory" of the space, what might we find?

How do staff members and church leadership embody and express hospitality? Do we see hospitality as a significant part of staff job descriptions?

Where do we struggle with hospitality--as a church and as persons in leadership?

Who are the strangers in our community that need welcome?

If hospitality is central to the Christian life, how could we make it central to formation and worship?

In what ways do our worship and spiritual formation help us notice those who need welcome?

How could we become more attentive to expressions and acts of hospitality in worship? Do we see ourselves as guests of God in worship--how could we cultivate that understanding more fully within our worship services?

How might we be more sensitive in pastoral care to needs and opportunities for hospitality?

In what specific ways might we nurture our children and youth in the practice of hospitality? Are there things we are already doing that we could build on?

How could our local and global missions work embody concerns about hospitality more fully?

How might we shift our orientation in mission to emphasize some of the grace and gifts of face-to-face ministry?

What could we put in place in our work of mission and outreach that would remind us of the importance of allowing others to minister to us?

Do any of our present practices in mission and social ministry reinforce the notion that we have all the resources and 'they" have all the needs?

In our families and homes, what are we already doing that we could build on?

In our work places, how could we embody a deeper commitment to hospitality?

What are the obstacles that need to be addressed in family, home, and workplace?

posted by Peter at 11:33 AM
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