When we enter or welcome newcomers to our congregational spaces, we hope for a sense of warmth. We talk at length about how to make newcomers more comfortable—we want them to feel the warmth of our hospitality.
We Lutherans are not alone in offering steaming cups of coffee and bowls of soup to those coming through the doors, but we are known for it. There is something to be said for following through on that hospitality with something tangible.
It’s not just newcomers who need to experience that warmth. So many in our congregations experience sorrow, loss and moments when hope is fleeting, or they feel left out in the cold in some way. Warm soup and conversation can be a bit of a balm for those things, coupled with pastoral and congregational care.
This message is excerpted from “Soup’s on!” by Cara Strickland in the March 2019 issue of Gather magazine. Today is the First Sunday in Lent. We remember George Herbert, hymn writer, who died in 1633.
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