“Entertaining Angels”
October 6, 2026
Extending hospitality is one of my growing edges.
Perhaps it comes from my monk-type personality. I enjoy silence and solitude. It may also have something to do with my upbringing.
I grew up in a pastor’s family. My parents gave themselves wholeheartedly to the work of the Lord. They always served, cared, and helped. My sister and I followed their example. But our home was also a place for “recharging.” We rarely invited people into our home because, after giving so much to others, we simply didn’t have much extra energy or time left.
In our previous parish, Joyce and I often prepared food, visited the sick, and fed the hungry. But we were not very good at inviting people into our home. We enjoyed fellowship, but hosting often felt stressful, cleaning the house, preparing food, adjusting schedules, and everything else that comes with it.
Then, in July, as we began our new ministry here on the Cape, our family received an incredible gift: a fully renovated parsonage, made possible by the tremendous investment of time, talent, and resources from our church family.
Joyce and I were fully aware that we are not the owners, but stewards entrusted with this home for a season. So we asked ourselves, “How should we live?” We both felt God nudging us to be more intentional about extending hospitality.
About a month after we moved in, we hosted a block cookout and invited our neighbors. We had a blast! This past weekend, we welcomed our first guests from Maine, and we already have more people scheduled to visit us in the coming months.
To be honest, it is still quite a stretch for me. My natural desire sometimes says, “Leave me alone!” But I am beginning to see hospitality as a spiritual practice. So, during this Stewardship Month (and beyond), I want to practice hospitality, along with making my pledge to the church. For me, both are ways of saying, “I am no longer my own, but thine, O Lord.”
In what areas of your life do you feel God nudging you to grow and to be more generous? May we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and respond with love.
This past Sunday was World Communion Sunday. Every time we wait and eat the bread together, I am deeply moved. What a powerful way of saying, “We are one in Christ, and one with each other.” In Korean, we call family sik-goo, literally, people who share meals together. God is our gracious host, and we are all invited to sit around the table, no matter how many we are. What a beautiful picture of radical hospitality!
You can watch this week’s worship service on YouTube. Our services are also broadcast on Channel 26 on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. You can also read this week’s message, “Surrender”, on my blog.
Please remember those on our prayer list. In particular, let us pray for Cookie Barry and Jeannette Leupold for their renewed strength and recovery. It was also so encouraging to see those who have recently had surgery or have not been well, now able to worship with us again – David Beauchamp, Teresa Fletcher, Don Loring, and Eve Hoffman. We also hear that Irene Shaw is recovering well. Praise God!
This week, Tuesday through Thursday, I will be attending the “Innovate” cohort in Contoocook, New Hampshire, along with twelve colleagues. I look forward to this time of mutual support, learning, and encouragement. I also hope it will be a time to replenish and renew. Please pray for safe travels and, especially, for spiritual renewal.
Thank you for your love and for sharing this journey together. Have a blessed week!
P.S. The October Steeple Is Here!
*Kudos to Connie and the Finance Team for their faithful service. This year’s stewardship campaign theme is: “Sharing Blessings One Piece at a Time.” And a special thank-you to Elena for creating this wonderful visual for us. With each pledge, another blueberry is added to the pie!
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