Greetings St. John’s Lutheran Church!
Jesus said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” –Luke 14:12-14
Set the Table
The community of St. John’s is known for its hospitality and love of food – from weekly fellowship gatherings to regular donations to the Quakertown Food Pantry, from bake sale spreads and walking tacos at the Annual Charity Block Party to ice cream and waffle treats at outdoor campfires. The people of St. John’s know how to set the table!
A Luncheon or a Dinner
In this passage from scripture, Jesus highlights the importance of hospitality not just as a way of currying favor with those whom we know or who have status, but as a way of serving those who may have nothing material to give us in return. Hospitality is about welcoming all to the table in the certainty that we will be blessed by the conversations and relationships that ensue.
Invitation
This month our Sunday services will be shaped around the theme, “Telling Our Mission Story.” We will reflect on who we are, what we do, and how we can invite our neighbors to join us in mission. We will practice inviting to local community members as well as past St. John’s members to join us for worship and brunch on November 24th.
Blessed
May we continue to widen our circle of community this month, knowing that we have been blessed by God’s abundant love and generosity and will be blessed by those God brings into our circle.
In Christ, Pastor Kat