5th Sunday of Easter

by Clarissa Martinelli on May 15, 2022

Greetings on this Holy Communion Sunday,

“Radical hospitality” requires intentional invitation and welcome. It goes beyond greeters at the door and handshakes during worship to welcome every person as an honored guest.

Certainly, being a “friendly” church is good. But being in ministry in a confused and hurting world calls for “radical hospitality,” our core value: people are important to God and to this church.

You are a congregation with Christian hearts, a Wesleyan spirit and igniting ministry: it’s your turn to be radical!

Friendliness is nice, but it doesn’t really create a feeling that people will remember. Maya Angelou is often attributed with saying that “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Guests don’t come back to our churches because of what we do but because of how we make them feel.

The difference between friendliness and radical hospitality is intentionality. To exceed guest expectations on a consistent basis, we have to be very intentional about it. The three principles of radical hospitality:
notice, personal attention and excellent follow-through; help us create interactions and environments where guests are open to hearing the Good News in prayer, song, and sermon and want to come back again.

Friendliness is nice, but it doesn’t really create a feeling that people will remember. Maya Angelou is often attributed with saying that “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people 
will never forget how you made them feel.” Guests don’t come back to our churches because of what we do but because of how we make them feel.

Come, let us shower each other with “Radical Hospitality!” All are welcome!

Pastor Clarissa

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