A reflection by Rev. Roberto Ochoa, Conference Minister Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the United Church of Christ
Let mutual affection continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:1)
My dear friends of Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Conferences of the UCC,
For this week’s reflection, I thought I’d tell a story:
Hospitality blessings sometimes come unexpectedly, especially during our greatest needs and when we go to prayer.
One story I heard made me smile and just say…Praise God!
As the story goes…there was this church…growing and serving the Spanish speaking community…in a small sheriff’s office, however, the owners had sold the building and the church had to find another place to hold their worship services. They looked and looked and seem to have little success…especially as the time to leave was weeks away. They prayed for a miracle.
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, a pastor, looking at the photo of Jesus knocking on the door…wondered what the future of her Norfolk Nebraskan church was heading to, the congregation was in deep discernment…and deeply wanted to do outreach to the growing Latino community. She and the congregation prayed for a miracle.
Somehow, in a sauna of all places in the YMCA…the young men looking for a new home for their church were talking about their dilemma…and another man from the church seeking to connect with the Latino community overheard them and suggested they try his church for worship space.
So, the next day they did…and as they knocked on the door…the pastor opened the door and invited them in.
For five years, the congregations learned to adapt with sharing holy space in the midst of their cultural and lingual differences, able to overcome initial obstacles of misunderstandings with grace between them. And though they had enjoyed two meals together as churches, they had never attempted to have a joint worship.
Until, the Nebraska Conference called their first Mexican descendant Conference Minister and the pastors of both churches wondered if this new Conference Minister would be open to lead the two churches in a joint bilingual worship service.
Well, the new CM was delighted for the invitation, an opportunity for him to bring together the two worlds that mattered so much to him, his American and Latino identity.
The two congregations gathered…people of all ages filled the sanctuary of the church, feeling the excitement of worshipping together for the first time.
And worship they did, with contemporary Christian songs sung bilingually and traditional church hymns, prayers and a message from the Conference Minister on the joys and blessings of hospitality, urging the two churches to forge a path forward working together of witness and action to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, offer refuge to the unhouse, visit the sick and incarcerated and to do justice for the oppressed and marginalized as Jesus’ did. Then they sang and prayed some more. The presence of the Holy Spirit was truly among all the worshippers that morning.
Later they had a feast beyond belief, tamales, taquitos, pozole, lasagna, devil eggs, salads, and more. A separate table had a great assortment of desserts. The people served together, sat together, laughed together and got to know each other better and celebrated their first joint worship and looking forward to another one in the future. And praising God for the hospitality that made this happened in the first place and the conversation that sparked it at a sauna in YMCA.
I want to thank First Congregational Norfolk pastor Rev Dr Brian High and Igelisa Linaje Escogido pastors Abel and Araceli Garcia for the invitation to bring the message to their congregations on Sunday, August 31st in Norfolk, NE. My first bilingual worship service since my calling this January. I especially want to thank Ms. Susan Allyn, First Congregational office administrator that coordinated my visit. And a BIG GRACIAS to the congregations of First Congregational and Linaje Escogido who welcomed me with wide arms, much affection, and lots of food. I was so blessed and humbled by their generosity. My prayers remain with them as they continue being the light of Christ, together in Norfolk.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto