From Stranger to Guest

Lydia’s Pantry at Galilee is named after Lydia of Thyatira, a woman in the New Testament who briefly appears in Acts Chapter 16. She is described as a worshiper of God and a merchant that sold expensive purple cloth in an area known for its dyeing trade. 

One day Lydia met St. Paul and his companions, and after hearing Paul’s words, was baptized in Philippi. She is considered to be the first recorded convert to Christianity in Europe. Lydia is also known for her hospitality, insisting that Paul and his companions stay at her home.     

The Latin root of the word hospitality is hospes which means both stranger and guest. From 12 Habits of a Reconciler by the Rose Castle Foundation, “Hospitality not only provided a much-needed bed, safety and sustenance for travelers, it also turned a stranger into a guest.” 

Through this lens, hospitality is so much more than a transaction. It’s an intentional way of being in the world – of being available to each other – that is a marker of our common humanity. 

So, I wonder. How do we show up alongside the stranger and the guest? What does hospitality mean to you? Please send me a message at parkere@christchurchcharlotte.org and let me know! 

Prayer for Lydia of Thyatira

Eternal God, who gives good gifts to all people, and who grants the spirit of generosity: Give us, we pray you, hearts always open to hear your word, that, following the example of your servant Lydia, we may show hospitality to those who are in any need or trouble; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

In service,

Emily+