Radical Hospitality

The Kids are Coming
I don't know who said it, or even if I remember it correctly, but it is firmly fixed in my memory. Our church facility was built when I was a junior in high school. What I remember is that leaders of the church said, "We want a building that will wear out before it rusts out." In short we want this building to be used actively to honor God, engage Christ, and serve the community.
The Kids are Coming
What wonderful job various property committees, women's fellowships, and the whole congregation has done to mainatain and improve our facilities. It is not a preservation effort, but rather a mission effort to provide hospitality to the Spirit that gives us life and purpose in Christ.
The Kids are Coming
For several months we have lifted up the five practices of a fruitful congregation by Robert Schnase. One of those practices is "Radical Hospitality." While the word radical has been associated with "extreme," radical primarily refers to "root." Hospitality refers to being "readily receptive," or "offering a pleasant or sustaining environment."
The Kids are Coming
Each school day this church is far more likely to wear out than rust out. Each school day at First Christian Church we are privileged to offer hospitality to three pre-schools. Early Childhood has beem here for many years (anyone remember just when it came to FCC?) and now a second related pre-school will begin to serve Ford County students.
The Kids are Coming
The third is our very own Busy Hands Pre-School with Director Deb Kirkpatrick. This year she is joined by new assistant teacher Tara Minion. It is exciting to see and hear these halls fill with the presence of children. It is exciting to know your encouragement of this mission to serve the children and families of the wider Gibson City area. With four pre-school now in Gibson City, we look for ways to preserve and strengthen the Busy Hands future. Please pray for the continued mission of Busy Hands. Please consider a special Busy Hands gift in support of the growing number of parents in need in our community.
The Kids are Coming
Share your memories and insights regarding Busy Hands past, present and future.
The Kids are Coming - Thanks be to God!

Practicing Church - Too!

In an effort to be persistent and consistent, I have been inserting the five practices of a fruitful congregation into as many notes, meetings and conversations as possible. These practices rise out the work of Robert Schnase. Let me ask, what comes to mind when you think of "hospitality?" Now, what comes to mind when you hear "radical hospitality?" Is it a different image? The word radical changes things. How about these...

• Radical hospitality
• Passionate worship
• Intentional faith development
• Risk-taking mission and service
• Extravagant generosity

Let's go back to the first one. Where have you experienced "radical hospitality?" Was it in the actions of an individual? a group? Was it unexpected? Was it at school? church? grocery store? classroom? community event? church activity? Share your story.

Practicing Church

One more thing about the table I mentioned earlier, the round table that had come from my mother's house. The large round oak table was in the house when our family moved into it in 1960. The family of the previous owner had no need of the table and it fit well in the dining room where it had already served for several decades. My parents bought the table with the house. That previous resident was Mrs. Hattie Richards. It was her table. She was also one of the 1891 charter members of what was then called the Church of Christ, now known to us as First Christian Church in Gibson City. Gathering at that table now, I am thrice blessed -by present company and fellowship, by family memories and by the heritage of a wonderful congregation. What is there in your home, or among your possessions, that connects past and present?

Yesterday was the final day of our family owning my mother's home here in Gibson City. After several weeks of siblings removing contents and cleaning the house sat empty for the first time in nearly 100 years. Brothers and sisters each went through the empty house at different times those last few days. On the last afternoon I walked through the empty rooms - starkly empty rooms. And all I could think as I walked from room to room was "thank you, thank you, thank you." Each room held recollections of the family, friends, events, sounds, laughter and tears that had filled the rooms. What a wonderful gift from an empty house.

The last few weeks we have been worshipping with friends at the First Presbyterian Church. During that time our sanctuary has been uncharacteristically empty. Each Sunday morning I would walk through the sanctuary before going over to the Presbyterian Church. Each time I would walk through, or sit for a moment in the quiet, my response was the same - "thank you, thank you, thank you" - gratitude to God for the wonderful sights and sounds of people gathered, lives shared, events celebrated.

It will be good to welcome everyone home tomorrow morning. It will be good to receive friends from First Presbyterian and the community.

"I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord."

Pastor Ed