Doesn't it feel odd not to be able to say to family and friends, come in and have a cup of tea? At least we in the Rectory cannot say this still because David remains shielded for a few more weeks and hopefully on the 16th August things will be released. I know some of you have met with friends for a coffee in the station car park at Llantwit Major, or enjoyed a glass of something stronger round your garden table, though abiding with social distancing of course!
David and I have always believed hospitality is important and I think our discussion groups and open days people will say they often include more than a a mug of tea or coffee as we share together after the serious stuff! It is nice to offer a drink - an ice breaker, something to welcome folk and hopeful allow them to relax and enjoy the company and experience.
It such a simple gesture and often the start to bigger things and maybe to good friendships. When we first went to Durham, I had some people roughly our age in the congregation in the church. We were invited to dinner at their home and so we invited them back. Valentine's Day had just passed and David had made a great curry to mark it so we decided a repeat of this meal would be ok. So, David having learned that pakoras take time to make, decided to prep them in the morning of the day of the meal together. They looked great, in fact perfect, and so he popped them covered into the fridge for later. I was rather busy so quickly decided to knock up the carrot halwa for dessert. I was far too hasty and in reducing two pints of milk burnt it and had to start again. David had never cooked rice for four and got portion control wrong - that too cooked around the edges of the pan whilst the middle remained hard! It had all been so much easier for just two! Finally his perfect pakoras all stuck together so were very imperfect but wonderful. They always warned clergy in training about having friends within the church.
All of our disasters just cemented a great friendship which still exists today. The icing on the cake was knowing that Les, was a chef at the local college, training others in catering etc. We laughed so much over it, but through the hospitality and all the imperfections, we grew closer together.
Hospitality breaks down barriers and is a good thing to offer, I know when I am out visiting church or non church folk tend to offer a cuppa immediately on visiting and this simple action is much appreciated.
Hospitality also makes us think beyond self to the needs of others around us and further afield. To the many who live around us now and are struggling because of the effects of the pandemic, to the many who have been laid off work, for those who are so frightened and have lost their way. I am amazed and staggered by the good works of Vicky who seeks to find all who are in need and do something for them, in real practical terms. If you know someone who is in need, whatever need and finding things hard refer them to The need to feed page on facebook and it does exactly what it says and no questions asked.
Meditation
Pour your self a cup of water and then hold it, taking a sip when asked to do so.
A cup of cold water from Spill the Beans, Jo Love
A cup of cold water. Would you really call this a welcoming thing to offer?
Good hospitality? Just plain old cold water from the tap? Not very impressive.
Not to me or you anyway. Just turn on the tap and here it is, without any effort.
Just boring old water. What a scoosh, if you don't mind me saying.
Colourless, pretty tasteless, but on the plus side, it's clean and fresh, safe and reliable.
Pause and drink
A cup of cold water to drink. It's the least you can do for someone. The very least.
The bare minimum in fact. Even if you run out of tea and coffee and haven't so much as a digestive biscuit in the house, you can surely give a cup of water.
Pause and drink
A cup of cold water. One in six can only dream of this. A billion people across the world, would give anything to be able to turn on a tap and pour out a cup of cold water. Every year millions of people, millions of ordinary people just like us, die from preventable diseases linked directly to the lack of safe water.
Pause and drink
A cup of cold water. It can mean so little. It can mean so much. Either way, thirst quenching matters. It's Kingdom work.
Pause and drink.
Cheers!
Enjoy the day!