Hey, happy Friday, everyone!
We had the privilege on Sunday of celebrating the opening of LCC’s fourth Hospitality House, which is right behind me. This one is in partnership with Tabor Lutheran Church.
As I stood there, I was reminded that sometimes the Gospel becomes very tangible. Sometimes it looks like a meal. Sometimes it may look like someone sitting beside a person who’s hurting. And sometimes it looks like a house.
Jesus says in Matthew 25:35, “I was a stranger and you welcomed Me.” And when those listening asked Him when they had ever done that, Jesus answered, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”
So think about that.
Jesus places Himself right there with the person in need. When we welcome the stranger, we welcome Jesus.
And that’s really what our hospitality House ministry is all about.
It begins with something very practical. A congregation looks at a property it already has — a parsonage, an apartment, another unused space — and asks a kingdom question, a mission question: “Lord, how could You use what we have, what You’ve already placed in our hands, to be a blessing to someone else?”
And suddenly, an unused building becomes something more.
It becomes a safe place for a family facing a crisis.
It becomes a place where someone can sleep without wondering where they will be tomorrow.
It becomes a place where a congregation then can give more than just a roof over the head.
They can surround this family with the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ.
But the real ministry isn’t just the house. The house simply opens the door.
The ministry happens when God’s people walk through that door, in journey with the people He has placed in front of them.
That is Christian hospitality.
And it makes me wonder if there is a question here for each of us this weekend.
What has God already placed in your hands that He might want to use for someone else?
Maybe it isn’t a house.
Maybe it’s your time.
Your experience.
Your resources.
Your ability to listen.
Or maybe an invitation to sit at the table.
Or simply your willingness to notice someone who feels like a stranger.
Because Jesus reminds us that these moments are far more significant than we sometimes realize.
When we welcome them, we welcome Him.
So as we head into the weekend, keep your eyes open. You never know who God may be placing in front of you — and you never know when opening a door for someone else might actually become an opportunity to welcome Jesus.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You so much that You welcomed us when we were strangers, and You now invite us to do the same. And when we welcome strangers, help us remember that we’re welcoming You. And would you continue to open our eyes and our hearts to those people that You put in front of us that we might serve and love them, just as You served and loved us first? We pray this in Jesus’s name. Amen.
Final Thought
Help us get this good news out, won’t you?
Hit the like.
Hit the subscribe.
And please share this with someone today.
ITTT
In Biblical language, the term “stranger” refers to foreigners. How much are we welcoming foreigners?
Dear Rev. Chris…
I woke up this morning to one of the best news items I could imagine. My heart is still beating excitedly. Right there in your first paragraph you mention “Tabor Lutheran Church”. My church at Sunnyside and Drake Aves. This was my home church for 65 years. Both my brother and I were baptized, confirmed and graduated from eight years of Day School there and it was my place of refuge and strength, happiness and sadness, spiritual growth and survival, for all those year. My sister-in-law, was also a member, until she married my brother. Her father John G. Rieck was our Choir Director, Organist and School teacher. My maternal grandparents were members, starting the church in the School building.
Tabor Ev. Lutheran Church went from a thriving 500 German/English membership, with three choirs; Children’s choir that later, a spin off became the Chicago Lutheran Children’s Choir giving concerts all over Chicago, Lutheran Hour a packed Day School K through 8th, a strong Walther League of up to 30 members and a healthy, thriving congregation. Many members moved into the Suburbs. But when I left in about 1996 it was down to 30/40 members. I, too, was living in the Suburbs. We still struggled to hold on to the two-story school building, a parsonage, and ‘teacherage’ (so to speak). But after several years of trying to hold on to the school, which along with the church was coming to the financial point of deficit of $30,000 to $50,000 each year, (always being bailed out by the Alumni and finally by one alumni. The probability of closing both the church and school was imminent , it was decided to close the school and try to keep the church going. There were 82 children attending, none of those families, ever became members or even attended. The school building eventually was rented out to a private org. The Parsonage went back and forth to renting and finally used for meeting rooms. The Teacherage was continually rented out and as such, deteriorated through lack of care.
A year before my brother, Clarence W. Schawk who had a real heart for Lutheran schools, passed away in-______ he gave enough money (I believe One Million Dollars) to help to churches in the area, Concordia Lutheran and Tabor Lutheran to sustain them for five years, as a “Start-up” fund. That allowed them to Call and support a Pastor for that period of time.
It appears that Tabor is still renting out the two story School building. Thankfully, the Pastor is content with the Parsonage. And what a wonderful idea to use the Teacherage in the way that you are using it now. It also appears that God has truly blessed the efforts of the Tabor members as the worked to make this house ready.
Just as I was so proud of the church in Northbrook, IL. One of my many cousins attended for many years, (St John’s?). LCC turned it into a wonderful K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry.
I, now pray that LCC can find a use for the Tabor School building that will bring Christ into that neighborhood and help spread His loving grace, especially to the children.
I and two friends of mine, all Alumni of Tabor, brought a handmade VBS to Tabor in 1993, 94 and 95. Wow! the first one in “93 on the first night had 30 kids, second night 60 and third night close to 100. We had to turn some away. They were 18/20 yrs, old. Mostly, hispanic. Parents, mostly both working two jobs These children were starving for wholesome activity, spiritual needs and LOVE. I felt a deep sadness when we, after the one week of fruitful and budding relationships, had to say… “See you next year”. So, we tried a Saturday Movie Time. Sort of a mini VBS. Found out these families are not well into morning weekends. Also, realized the remaining members were elderly, either widows or caring for a ailing spouse, and could not serve a weekly program. I tried for a couple of years to bring down alumni to help, but it was truly a daily project and too far for most of us. We also found it was much more fruitful to work from the bottom up. The parents wanted the weekend to “sleep-in”.
Again, many thanks for LCC extending it’s God directed and Creative use to do His Work.
God Bless
Dorothy Schawk