Hospitality--Religious aspects

Karen Cuthbertson

I am passionate about the concept of “home.” In fact, as a child, I spent much of my spare time outside in the garden where I created homes using bed sheets, clothes horses, and pegs. I loved creating spaces where I felt comfortable, safe, and able to invite friends to visit. As an adult, finding a true sense of home in this life through being transformed, renewed, and restored is my goal, and furthermore, to accept God’s invitation to participate in His Master Story of renewal and restoration in order to bring others home, too.

The journey of transformation is to be understood as something sublime and beautiful, fulfilling Jesus’ words that He has “come that you might have life to the full” (John 10:10). However, this journey can be particularly bumpy for those of us whose sense of home has been broken.

In this thesis I pursue answers to the questions: i) How do we find a true sense of home in this life? and ii) How do we continue to live when we are there? Then, through finding answers to these questions, I pursue the answer to my research question, iii) How do we create a sense of home from home for ourselves and for others in our Christian family/community/church?

The journey of transformation, the solution to the problem of brokenness, may be bumpy yet it is worth it, because it is our journey home. Home is where we are comfortable, safe, and able to invite friends and family to visit. We cannot journey alone, nor are we expected to do so. For this we cry out, “Come, Holy Spirit!”

Chung Yuen Chan D.Min.

In response to the migration of Hong Kong people to Canada in recent years, this project attempted to build up a biblical theology of hospitality from the perspective of discipleship. The theology of exile was also engaged to shed insight on hospitality. The driving question for this project was: How could the Hong Kong background Cantonese-speaking churches in Canada embrace a new wave of Hong Kong diaspora through practicing hospitality as a journey of discipleship?

This project interviewed 21 Hong Kong background Cantonese-speaking churches in Canada to draw lessons from their experience in embracing the Hong Kong wave during the period between September 2021 and May 2022.

Based on the biblical exposition, a framework of “B.O.N.J.O.U.R.” (i.e., boundary, orienting our hearts and minds, nurturing a lifelong habit, juncture, open, understanding, and reframing) in conjunction with the elements of the discipleship base of the writer’s church (i.e., Word, prayer, worship and stewardship of time, finance and talents) was proposed as a criteria for evaluating our mindset and practices in embracing the migration wave. Recommendations in another framework of “P.L.O.W.” (i.e., preparation, leadership, optics and willingness) were humbly offered at the end to different churches of different sizes and different paces in welcoming the migrants from Hong Kong.

Susan Q. Claytor

In discussion with other congregational leaders around the members of their community, a growing population seems to be absent. The individuals and the families of those on the Autism Spectrum Disorder are not present in our worship services. This neuro-different population is not participating in communal worship, nor are their family members. It is time for intentional outreach to this important and tremendous segment of our general population. Anecdotal evidence shows that quite often the parents of children on the spectrum are worried about both the reactions and welcome their child might generate and receive, and the disruption their child may bring to the service. However, the strong theme of hospitality throughout scripture, including the teachings of Jesus, compel us to be welcoming and accepting. Providing some basic education to the congregations will increase the likelihood of a community that is able to truly welcome and embrace the individuals and families of those on the spectrum. Additionally, embracing all of God's children, including those who are neuro-different, brings new gifts and talents into the gathering and ministries of the organizations. Pastorally, all people are in need of safe places to worship, grow spiritually and to receive care and support. In addition, many of the normal activities and programs of worshipping communities will prove to be greatly beneficial to those on the spectrum, proving unintentional intervention simply by offering acceptance and interaction. This paper encompasses the theological implications of hospitality, provides a four week educational series for all members of the congregation, and has some helpful hints and understandings for those in leadership or who volunteer in various ministries where they may work directly with those on the spectrum.

Robert Elliot Martin D.Min.

Welcoming strangers into a home and offering them food, shelter, and protection were historically key components in the practice of hospitality. Many consider the church to be a home. How do we extend welcome and hospitality to those in our context? In this paper, I link the power of storytelling in film to developing a theology of hospitality. To share meals with strangers is one of the most powerful and practical things we can do to help the church shape a more just and hospitable spirituality. Through film, the study of scripture, prayer practices, and table discussions, can we link our present and future faith practices to a theology of hospitality? A final analysis will allow us to begin clarifying what effective and transformative practices of hospitality in the name of Christ looks like.

Pamela Rivera

The ongoing categorizing of African Methodist Episcopal churches by membership size and budget has promoted an unconscious practice of succession leadership. This injurious practice ends up impeding the participation of lower-tier churches and hinders the building of authentic Christ-like relationships. This project intends to introduce gospel hospitality as a spiritual value that invites all clergy and lay leaders to the table of relationships as equal advocates. The researcher used constructive narrative theology to collect and interpret the data that was generated through the project. The data concluded, ‘Gospel Hospitality is a Foundational Pillar for Unifying Clergy and Laity as A Collaborative Community.’

Solange Agnès Belluz D.Min.

The main purpose of this portfolio was to develop a cross-cultural congregational engagement framework that would facilitate greater participation of congregants in hospitality with newcomers and refugees at The Peoples Church in Toronto. A central principle that emerged was the need to shift our ministry perspective from doing things to people to doing things with people. The framework developed as a result of this research included eight key principle and four key components: Learn, Engage, Assess and Participate (LEAP).

Hospitality is about welcoming others and making them feel at home. As someone who came to Canada over 30 years ago as an international student, I am sensitive to the needs of newcomers and refugees and the role that congregants could play in creating welcoming and inclusive spaces for them. I am also a firm believer that leadership is influence and that, through cross-cultural transformational leadership, we could create an environment where congregants would be motivated to welcome well.

This research demonstrated that there is value in meeting the physical needs of newcomers and refugees. However, effective engagement with the migrants and displaced needs to go beyond food, housing, and education. The research highlighted the need to create spaces where they belong; where they could be anchored to; where they can recover the feeling of belonging that has been lost in migration.
 

Kathryn Grace Nichols Campbell

Adam and Eve. Cain and Abel. Mary and Martha. Jesus and John. Relationships, one with another whether healthy or otherwise, permeate the Bible. When two people are in a relationship, there are expressions of care and concern as well as an understanding of each other’s backgrounds. When we are in relationship with one another, we want to know as much about the other person as we can. In many cases, this includes knowing about one another’s faith traditions and experiences. From a very early age, I have done what I can to make sure that people around me feel welcome in whatever environment we share. In high school, I welcomed each person who came into the doors of youth group by name with a smile and a hug. I invited all of my non-youth group friends to events because I thought they would enjoy them. Some of my strongest relationships are with people I have known for more than 75 percent of my life. To this day, I want to make sure that wherever we are, all with whom I gather have everything they need to have the best experience possible. Invitation, hospitality, nurture, and welcome are four practices people do daily and would acknowledge they do so. However, they do not believe they can be successful when asked to evangelize. I argue that, when examined through a theological lens, when people engage in these four practices, they are successfully evangelizing. Through the work of this project, these four Christian Practices are defined, examined, and discussed while thinking about how they can benefit a congregation in helping the church to grow in membership.

Natalya Tsay

"[In this project paper, the author explores the ways in which a congregation may] improve the level of hospitality among young people at [the] Ata Methodist Church through the hospitality program. The questionnaires were filled out before and after the hospitality program by 10 church members aged above 20. Some of them changed their attitude towards new people; others gained understanding about biblical hospitality. The author provided examples of practical workshops to the hospitality program to use it at other churches of similar scale. It will contribute into rooting of new believers at the church and expansion of God's Kingdom." -- Leaf [2].

Jay D. Cooper

"The purpose of this project is to help congregations form relationships among themselves and their communities around the premise that healing begins with hospitality. With the goal of personal and communal wholeness, this project aims to reclaim the biblical practice of hospitality and to help the modern church widen its understanding of how God heals in the world today. My contextualization of this premise stems from working with a local Parkinson's community, serving as a drug court chaplain, volunteering at an adult respite program for persons with Alzheimer's and dementia, leading a local church staff comprised of 104 people, and serving as the Senior Minister of a large membership United Methodist congregation. The author has created a leadership guide for practical ways every congregation may implement a practice of relating healing and hospitality. The author provides a helpful approach to biblical healing and hospitality through two contexts, but which is reproducible in various settings." -- Leaf [2].

D Clare Biedenharn D.Min.

Listening is a quality indicator in patient-centered care. Working within the paradigm of the Quaker listening model, as described by activist and educator Parker J. Palmer and others, the intentional use of a spiritually based therapeutic listening model is an effective tool used by the Registered Nurse (RN) in working with patients and their families in making decisions in critical care settings. This project seeks to gauge the outcome of intentional use of this proven and effective model by the RN as both a tool for improving patient care as well as personal spiritual awareness measured through the Daily Religious Experience Scale.