Generous Hospitality

In my childhood, Christmastime was when God’s love was especially vibrant and extremely personal. Christmas caroling in our neighborhood was always joyful, and I regularly memorized even the additional stanzas of many carols. I loved being named Carol and never doubted the truth of Jesus’ miraculous birth and the righteousness and glory of God. I questioned parts of my faith in my teen and college years, but all of my doubts were soon resolved.

As newlyweds, Paul and I were warmly welcomed into a wonderful church in St Louis where we were introduced to a fuller picture of the Lord’s extravagant and undeserved mercy. In March 1977, I gladly received Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, believing he died for me and also filled me with his Holy Spirit to be my comforter and guide. We were blessed with a firm foundation of faith from the first year of our now 45 years of marriage.

We’ve been in four different churches since that time, but without a doubt, the way we were folded into that first congregation of faith marked me for life. It was apparent that something was very different about the people at church—in the way they reached out with bold love and helped me learn about the basics of following Jesus in the practicalities of everyday life. They openly shared their struggles and modeled prayer in the midst of it. I saw them generously serving and worshiping with an enthusiasm I’d not experienced before. To this day, and in every church body we’ve been in since then, it’s now clear that their example of Christlikeness is the evidence and mark of God’s transforming love. This amazing, enfolding, and expansive grace is to be shared with generous hospitality.

Let’s pray that we, too, will be known for warmly welcoming all who enter Hope Community Church with curious and hungry hearts.