As this year’s ladies luncheon began, Daria Greening introduced the speaker for the event, Alne Hartog, and prayed for the ladies’ time of fellowship. Alne is married to Paul Hartog, one of the keynote speakers for this year’s conference. As an icebreaker, Alne played her guitar (which she affectionaltely refers to as “Troy”) and invited the group to sing “I Run to Christ” along with her.
What pops into your mind when you think of coffee, hot chocolate, or tea? Is it fellowship, conversation, and hospitality? Alne offered fresh ideas about hospitality, such as what the definition of that word truly means and how believers can use it to evangelize and encourage others. “Hospitality is the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers,” Alne says. Scripture references discussed were Acts 2:42–47, 1 Peter 4:7–10, Romans 12:13, and Hebrews 13:29.
Alne has a tremendous gift for sharing on a personal level and infusing her the entire presentation with humor and personality. As the attendees ate, they also laughed as Alne spoke from her heart. She shared her experience of being raised in the Philippines by generous and hospitable parents, and the influence that upbringing had on her.
“You don’t have to invite people to your home to be hospitable,” Alne says. Hospitality can occur anywhere and in many different forms. Here are just a few ideas she shared with the women:
- Writing a friendly note
- Hosting a picnic in a park or in your own backyard
- Taking a meal to someone’s home
- Discovering people’s birthdays and holding monthly celebrations
- Offering babysitting assistance
Alne also encouraged the women to involve their entire families in ministries of hospitality, and counseled them not to get wrapped up in thinking their home isn’t big enough or nice enough. Such comparisons are fruitless; all you need is a nice, clean space; a simple, delicious meal; and sparkling conversation.
