Nearly forty years ago, I was preparing to leave home and go to university for the first time. As I look back, I give thanks for the welcome I received there and the many kindnesses that were shown to me. And so, over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent some time reflecting on the idea of hospitality and all that goes with it, such as generosity of spirit and welcome – especially to the stranger in our midst.

Hospitality. It’s a nice sounding virtue, but what is it? I like to think that it makes our lives and the lives of others more comfortable. However, it is much more than just a nice virtue. It is essential!

If we look around, we are given precious glimpses of the hospitality of God when we perceive all that God provides for us through the created world. He gives us the gift of life, with our bodies, all our senses, and all our talents and abilities. Then, hopefully, he gives us the sun to warm us, water to refresh us, food to nourish us, a family to belong to, friends to stand by us, along with music, the arts, laughter, and all that is good and beautiful.

Jesus was a master of hospitality, as a look through the Gospels shows us. He provided wine for the wedding feast at Cana. He fed the five thousand that came to hear him preach. After the resurrection we find him cooking breakfast for the apostles on the beach.

Hospitality involves more than food and drink………… it involves a whole host of other things, such as:

I was ignorant so you taught me.
I was lonely and you listened to me
I was misunderstood and you appreciated me
I was scared and you made me feel safe,
I had self-doubt and you believed in me.
I was shy and you paid attention to me.”

 Hospitality includes feeding the mind with truth, providing the soul with beauty, nourishing the heart with patience and forgiveness, and serving those who thirst for love.

At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and said, “This is my body given up for you.”  He took a cup of wine and said, “This is my blood poured out for you.”  Then he said, “Do this in memory of me.”  Do what in memory of him? Give up our body and pour out our blood for others. He was talking about sacrifice……. giving without counting the cost. Hospitality involves a lot of dying to self, and that makes us Christlike.

May the virtue of hospitality abound in our communities and, in so doing, may we continue to become more Christlike!

New member of the Ministry Team!

On Sunday 2nd August it was a delight to be able to announce that The Revd Fran Alison will be joining the ministry team as Team Vicar. Whilst Fran will have pastoral oversight of the group of parishes which includes Morchard Bishop and Lapford, she will also exercise a ministry across the whole team. Fran will be licensed to her new role in mid-October on a date to be announced.

Your friend and Team Rector

Matthew Tregenza