See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:19
When asked to write a devotional about graceful hospitality, I thought that this would be a simple thing. I lead faithful congregations. Grace abounds. Hospitality is our middle name. Especially when a covered dish is planned, or a neighbor is mourning the loss of a loved one. But, then when I actually sat down to write, the words did not flow. The examples did not come to mind. In my work as a Chaplain for the UM Collective, I have found myself holding conversation after difficult conversation with people who are mourning the loss of their worship homes. Sure, most have told me that they are working on making lemonade from the lemons, but to be sure, graceful hospitality is not the first word on anyone’s lips.
An example of this very phenomenon can be found in my very backyard. Trinity UMC in Elizabethtown, NC (15 minutes from me) went through a regrettable and particularly painful disaffiliation season. I had become good friends with the pastor there, who had just been appointed in 2021. She told me of a large group of people from her church who expressed deep interest in staying UMC. So, I ended up meeting with them in late November. You could say that it was a group therapy session. I let everyone express what they were feeling emotionally, and we heard the whole gambit of emotions, from anger to sadness to a readiness to move on (and everything in between). There was grace in the room. The hospitality came from the local Episcopal church that hosted us. Yet those two words together were not on anyone’s lips.
But, as it turned out, “Graceful Hospitality” were the first two words on God’s lips! Before that night was over, the Episcopal representative had offered the group use of their space for worship. Other details, such as time of worship, the handling of offerings, and even scripture readers all fell into place. We left there knowing that God was doing a new thing!
Worship of our graceful, hospitable God commenced in January!
O Lord, your Graceful Hospitality came to us before we even understood the concept. So often, we feel that we are wandering around in the wilderness without direction or, worse, thinking that we know exactly where we’re going. Thank you for welcoming us into your abundant grace and surprising us with your hospitality! In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Rev. Mark Gustafson serves as the pastor of Bethlehem UMC and Live Oak UMC in White Oak, NC, and as a chaplain with The UM Collective of the North Carolina Conference.
Our theme for this year’s Lenten reflections is Graceful Hospitality. 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the Ten Dollar Club, now known as the New Room Society. We give thanks for our Conference’s ongoing commitment to co-creating new places for new people to gather in communion with Jesus Christ and extending graceful hospitality to all of God’s children.