When thinking about the issue of crisis pregnancy, we could spend all our time on trying to find the exact moment when a collection of human cells becomes a human person. When does a small human being start to bear God’s image and deserve protection and hospitality?
Or we could instead ask what Christian hospitality has to offer. Jesus said that whenever we offer welcome, shelter, to ‘the least of my brothers and sisters,’ we are in fact welcoming Jesus himself. Hospitality is a sacred practice and a serious business.
So when we meet a woman or a couple distressed by a pregnancy, how can our community offer hospitality to the unborn child and its parents?
Mick Duncan tells a story of one response in this video promoting the Alongsiders seminars he and Ruby offer around the country. We at West were lucky enough to be part of them last year.
Have a listen on our sermon page if you’d like to hear more from today’s service. And next week we’re going to hear from Will and Hester, and from Teena from the Open Home Foundation, about some other ways we can offer hospitality to ‘the least of these,’ and so welcome Jesus.
We finished with Mumford & Sons’ song Timshel. Have a listen…
…And you are the mother
The mother of your baby child
The one to whom you gave life
And you have your choices
And these are what make man great
His ladder to the stars
But you are not alone in this
And you are not alone in this
As brothers we will stand and we’ll hold your hand
Hold your hand
Tags: 7 day faith · Alongsiders · crisis pregnancy · Hospitality · Matters of Life and Death · Mick Duncan · Mumford & Sons · Ruby Duncan · Sermons · shelter faith laughter · Timshel1 Comment
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Very interesting fact you spoke of that the West Germany Government supports women in crisis pregnancy and has done so since WW2, as an about turn as a nation, to now value all human life.