Strategy Update: Hospitality Requires Intentionality

"Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers." – Romans 12:13

Genuine hospitality is a week-long practice. It starts with prayer and intention, asking God to help us notice those who might feel out of place.

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.....hospitality asks us to care enough to notice." - Rt. Rev Michael Curry

As parishes, this requires us to create a culture of hospitality, which goes beyond providing a cup of tea. It is modelling it, discipling our parishes in this and thinking strategically about this. It is more than filling a roster.

Some reflective questions:

• How easy is it for someone new to move from visitor to participant to belonging member in our community?

• Who might feel invisible in our gatherings, and how can we change that?

• Who is responsible for ensuring people feel seen, welcomed, and included? How do we know this is being done well and across all aspects of parish life?

• Is there anyone in our services which need transportation to church or other programmes?

By doing these small things well and with intention, our parishes can be known in the community as radically hospitable, reflecting our values of Aroha (love), hari (joy), and rongo (peace).