Social Holiness

He was exceptionally gregarious and she had a heart for serving others. Together our parents modeled an active life of community service and hospitality. We knew the inside of most of the churches in town, not just our own. I can not count the number of church potlucks that Dad supported via the purchase of tickets to feed his family eight. One congregation hosted a Spaghetti Dinner, we were there. Another denomination hosted an annual Smorgasbord every spring, we were there. Pancake Breakfast at the largest church in town started way too early on a Saturday morning, but even Dad’s teenagers were strongly encouraged to join him. The little rural church in the country had a potluck lunch and a quilt raffle, my Dad bought tickets even when half his kids were away at college. 

“How many memories do you have of great conversations shared over a good meal? …something special happens when we break bread and share drinks with one another. It is a holy time.”   

   http://rethinkchurch.org/articles/spirituality/creating-sacred-space-anywhere-you-are

In the 70’s, Meals on Wheels was one of our mother’s chosen forms of outreach. Here she had six near adult kids at home that she was preparing meals for every evening and still, she loaded up lunches in the back the station wagon and drove around town for several hours delivering lunch along with a few moments of neighborly conversation, to the elderly folks in our community. At times the younger siblings accompanied her. They remember the people, the gratitude, and our mother’s gift of friendship.

Methodist founder John Wesley called this 

active engagement of humanity “social holiness”.

http://rethinkchurch.org/learn-about-united-methodists

We practice Christian hospitality even in the smallest places of our daily life: when we offer a  smile and whisper support to the mother struggling with her teenager in a restaurant, when we email a note to a woman who was absent from the week’s Bible Study class, when we suggest a lunch date to a person who we know is struggling, when we greet walkers on the path, regardless of race or class; any time we support, serve, and extend grace.

Social holiness requires intention and hospitality.

Someone you know would love to join you for lunch.

~

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Kitchen Memories: Winter’s Late Afternoon Light

The late afternoon sun throws rays of winter light across the kitchen, low and soft. Savory aromas rise from sautéing meat and simmering stock on the stove. Color rich vegetables lay diced across the cutting board and spices add to the scents wafting through the house. Candlelight flickers in the lengthening shadows on the counter top.

My thoughts slip back to decades ago. As a college student commuting between campus and my parent’s home, I would return from classes in the late afternoon dark of our far north region. Entering the warm house through the kitchen door I would be met by the subdued lighting under the cabinets illuminating my mother working at the counter surrounded by salad makings and the smells of supper warming on the stove. These treasured images evoked such comfort and affection. I have strived to recreate them for my own family across the years. Even in the years of a demanding career, preparing supper at home, reclaiming the house after the day’s absence, filling it with food aromas, it remained essential to create a haven that cradled myself and loved ones at the end of each day.

Warm light in the darkness, 

a safe haven, 

the promise of nourishment; 

all elements of a home …

all elements of a living faith.  

Nurture faith as you nurture loved ones. 

Guard faith as you guard the haven of your home.

Light a candle, 

put something on the stove,

savor the moment, 

offer whispers from your heart 

to our Lord.

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Linking with Laura’s community of writer’s over at “Play dates With God” and Jennifer's folks at TellHis Story.

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our moments with God.