A St. Paul’s guest recently shared with me that she has experienced our community as warm and hospitable. That kind of description is unusual for a church of “organized religion.” Some might say, “Really? Episcopalians??” I say a resounding, “YES!” From the first supper our Vestry served me at my interview in the summer of 2013, I felt a generous hospitality from you. It extended from that table with the Vestry to learning about all the 12-Step groups that met in the building (“They have their own key,” you told me.) I’m convinced that God is and has always called us to a distinctively warm and inspiring hospitality shared with friend and stranger. I’m not even sure we’ve lost any bit of that calling those two years that we were closed. We managed to reach to our neighbors, share what we have and praise God, even when we had to be so careful not to spread COVID (precautions are another form of hospitality, care for others.) You helped me write a grant to fund a sabbatical with the theme of “Deepening the Practice of Christian Hospitality.” I took six cooking classes, shared my table with friends and family, and learned how St. Paul brought the many different people of his early Christian communities together in a common bond. Much of his work was to teach how the Body of Christ functions best when all the faithful of different backgrounds work together for Christ’s sake and the sake of the world he loved so much.
Our energy and excitement are palpable as we begin to slowly resume some of the in-person activities we love so much. We are doing it responsibly and safely. No one is really sure whether or not COVID (whatever variant emerges) is low enough to abandon all precautions. But we can find joy and inspiration in being together, in participating in joyful worship, in serving those who are in desperate need and in befriending newcomers and guests.
One simple practice that we’ve loved is to invite each other and our guests to wear a name tag. We have a wall in the hallway filled with name tags that have become a little dusty over these two years. They also have included the names of dear ones we’ve lost in those two years. Randy Day and I have said prayers of “good-bye” over those and brought them to their conclusion.
Many of you have already found your name tag and wear it.  Our children even have name tags. Thank you for wearing them! Newcomers, staff, leaders, clergy, and YOU are part of the call to hospitality. Please email Randy Day to ask for a name tag. Then, look on the large board for your name and let us be able to “call you by name” in the spirit of warm hospitality!
Lenten blessings, one and all,
Carolyn +