The greatest challenge to forming friendships at the margins may be us.

Are we willing to be vulnerable with our friends? Will we risk feeling betrayed?  Will we respond in gratitude to the possibility of friendship across divides because we were first called a friend of God?

All good words from Christine Pohl.

Christine challenged us to draw closer to Christ and to draw closer to community. By extending hospitality, we can learn to practice gratitude for God and for each other. We can learn to move to the rhythms of celebrating with one another, sharing meals and even learning to rest.

Hospitality is something that the Center for Reconciliation is trying to embody this weekend. Tonight, conference participants will share a meal together in other participants’ homes. It’s a small step toward practicing the kind of community we want to create among all of the friends in our lives.

How about you?  How are you practicing hospitality and building community wherever you are?