Growing God's Kingdom Through Dido UMC
An invitation from your pastor to discover how and why God is calling Dido UMC to reach our community.
Hospitality is Everyone's Mission
One of the greatest compliments I hear about Dido UMC is, "Your church is so friendly." That makes me smile because it's true. We genuinely care for one another, and that's a gift from God. But here's a question worth asking: Friendly to whom?
It's easy to be friendly with people we already know. We know their names, their stories, and where they usually sit. We ask about their grandchildren, their health, and their latest adventures. That's what families do. The challenge comes when someone new walks through the doors. Imagine attending a family reunion where everyone else knows each other. They laugh about old memories, greet one another with hugs, and slip easily into conversations. No one is intentionally excluding you—but you still feel like an outsider.
Now imagine one person notices you. They smile, introduce themselves, learn your name, introduce you to others, and invite you to sit with them. How different would that feel? That one person has just practiced biblical hospitality.
Hospitality is much more than being a greeter or making coffee. In Scripture, hospitality means making room in our lives for others. It means seeing people the way Jesus saw them—not as strangers, but as neighbors who are deeply loved by God.
Every Sunday, someone may walk into our church carrying burdens we cannot see. They may be grieving, lonely, anxious, or simply wondering if there is a place where they belong. Our smiles matter. Our conversations matter. Remembering someone's name matters. Inviting them to sit with us matters. Following up the next week matters. Sometimes the greatest sermon a visitor hears isn't the one from the pulpit. It's the kindness they experience from God's people.
At Dido UMC, hospitality isn't the greeters' job alone. It belongs to every one of us because every one of us represents Christ. Growing God's Kingdom happens one relationship at a time, and many of those relationships begin with a simple welcome.
This week, I encourage you to notice someone you don't know well. Learn their name. Sit with someone different. Invite them into a conversation. You may discover that what feels like a small act of kindness becomes the very reason someone decides to come back.
Growing Thought for the Week
People may forget what was preached, but they rarely forget how they were welcomed.
Blessings, Pastor Jana
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