Radical Hospitality is the practice of welcoming friends and strangers alike as we breakdown barriers and build bridges.*  This is exhibited by acts of care, compassion, and concern for others in a way that shows the love of Christ and does not ask for anything in return. The Church body is invited to participate in the welcoming of people into relationship with Jesus and we do this by creating a safe space for people to explore their faith while having their most basic human needs met.
 
It is radical because it does not look like the rest of the world. This is a hospitality that goes beyond a simple hello and smiling politely. Those who practice this type of hospitality seem strange to the world, because they are embodying Christ, a way that was unpopular when Jesus showed it to the world and a way that is still unpopular today.
 
One of the three prong goals of the Matthew 25 initiative is Building Church Vitality and the way we do that is through examining ourselves as a church body and being proactive in moving the church in a direction that extends the love of Christ and brings about the reign of God here and now. Radical Hospitality is a key factor in vital congregations.
 
On the first Sunday of Lent (March 6) we will hear directly from Matthew 25 as Jesus reminds us that when we care for those who are hungry, thirsty, a stranger, sick, or imprisoned, we are in fact caring for Jesus Christ himself.

Often during Lent, we consider individually the ways we might draw nearer to Christ. That might mean abstaining from a particular behavior, food, or favorite pastime for the 40 days or it might mean adding something in like daily bible study, prayer, or writing cards to a different person each day. This year, instead of individual practices we are embarking on a communal practice, as a congregation. The practice of Radical Hospitality.
 
During Lent you are encouraged to adopt Radical Hospitality as a spiritual discipline. Intentionally engage with the book study, the worship services, and the other opportunities for engagement, while also embarking on your own prayerful practice of asking God to show you what hospitality may look like each day. By making this a communal effort we will each be encouraged to learn from one another about best practices and growing edges all while growing in our relationship with God. 

The number one way you can participate is by attending worship each Sunday during Lent. We will be highlighting the biblical call to hospitality each Sunday. If you can’t attend in-person, make a commitment to worship online. Having each person participate in the same worship each week will help us, as the entire Church family, truly embrace Radical Hospitality as a spiritual discipline this Lent.
 
We will begin Lent on Wednesday, March 2 with Ash Wednesday worship at 5:30pm and dinner at 6:15pm. Please plan to join us for worship that evening either in-person or online as we kick-off the theme and season together.
 
The second way you can participate is by joining the discussion of the book, The Welcoming Congregation by Henry G. Brinton. The book will be discussed on both Wednesday evenings from 5:00-6:00pm and Sunday mornings from 9:15-10:30am. You can participate in one or both discussions. The Wednesday evening group will be one group discussing together while the Sunday morning group will be broken into smaller discussion tables. There will be donuts, coffee, milk, and juice on Sunday mornings. On Wednesday evening you are encouraged to stay for LOGOS dinner.

A Lenten Journey: The Power of Diversity and Blessedness of Inclusion, with Reverend Ray Jordan. This will be a zoom gathering 3 times throughout Lent (March 29, April 5, April 12) examining the themes: Inclusion Matters, Now What?, and Gratitude & Trust: The Secret Sauce to Diversity.
 
Racial Justice Pilgrimage hosted by the Grace Presbytery Social Justice Task Force (April 18-24). This pilgrimage will take participants from Dallas to Memphis, TN, Birmingham, AL, Montgomery, AL, and Selma, AL before returning to Texas. It will give participants the opportunity to: “Learn and thoughtfully reflect on the history of white racial violence in the United States and recognize and appreciate the strengths of the African American community to resist white supremacy in the struggle for freedom and equity. And, observe and learn critical skills as modeled by the collaborative, reflective leadership style of Rev. June Cooper and Dr. Marrey Embers to attain and embody racial-cultural diversity.”

You can find more info about both opportunities on the Grace Presbytery calendar by clicking here. 

*Practicing Hospitality: The Essential Practices Toolkit for Hospitality, pcusa.org