On Transitions (Part III) -or- Some Thoughts on Hospitality

I've been sharing some thoughts over on the Emerging Scholars Blog the last couple of weeks.  This is a final post in three-part series on Transitions.  I would like to thank Tom Grosh for the opportunity to contribute.  Thanks!

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The last two Thursdays I have focused on how to think about life when you’re in the midst of transition and some things you can do to weather transition well. I’d like to direct this final post in the series at those of you who are not in transition, but find yourselves in a place (like, say, the University setting!) where there are new folks around on a pretty regular basis, particularly during this time of the year.

Hospitality can happen at Wendy's!

For seven years, we attended a church in Cambridge, MA that was situated between Harvard and MIT.  Every September, the pews were full of new faces. Every summer, we attended many a good-bye party for those moving on to their post graduate school adventures. There was much joy in welcoming those new folks and much heartache at the farewells. And you know what’s happened to us in Pittsburgh? We’ve joined a church in the heart of the University center of town, practically on University of Pittsburgh’s campus, finding ourselves experiencing exactly the same thing here as we did in Cambridge!

As members of both congregations, the opportunities to practice hospitality (as Paul encourages in Romans 12:13) are endless.  Let's take a quick look at that passage in Romans 12, where Paul is beginning to wrap up his letter and seems to want to get in a bunch of thoughts before closing.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Romans 12:9-13

Click here  to read on!