Summer is almost here! The weather is starting to get warmer and we are beginning to think about all the things we would like to do during summer. As a family, we love to take out our small boat to a sandbar and enjoy the sun and water while my husband fishes. When our girls were young it was essential that they had a job to do while we were getting the boat in the water. I would hold the rope while Perry put it in the water and he would park the truck and trailer. We would have the girls stand off to the side away from all other traffic, holding our very excited dog, who was a lab and loved the water. Each of us had a job and it was all hands on deck as we would get ready to go out on the water. I must say it went smoothly because all knew what they were supposed to do.

As we begin to expand our hospitality within our church, we also will need to have all hands on deck. We already have staff at our welcome center, but still more are needed on Sunday, I would love to get the welcome center staffed on Wednesday as well. Name tags are working out well and it is so nice to greet people by name. Visitor follow-up is going smoothly thanks to all who have helped make our visitors feel welcome. As we work together to make this place warm and welcoming, we need everyone to help. As 1 Corinthians 3:9 says, “For we are God’s servants, working together.” So as you begin to think about how you will be a part of hospitality in our church, I will be praying for the Holy Spirit’s enabling so that all of us will work together as God calls us to do. Let me give you some ideas. Not only do we have a need at the welcome center, visitor follow-up, coffee servers, but we will need hospitality coordinators, greeters, zone greeters, parking lot attendants and children’s worship bag coordinators. All of this cannot happen all at once, but we do need to be thinking and planning ahead so that when we do start these action teams, there will be people willing to step up and help.

Each one of us is called to hospitality. I’m not asking for you to invite people into your homes or provide anyone shelter; all I ask is that you look at the hospitality action teams and pray that the the Holy Spirit guides you to an action team that you can be a part of. If you have any questions about the action teams or want to become a member, please let me know. I would love see everyone step up and all hands on deck to provide a great welcoming experience to everyone who comes through our church doors.