Many of you know that, on various nights through the winter, Trinity opens its doors to some of our City’s homeless so they can have a warm meal and a warm place to stay.
This is our Room in the Inn program, and it seems to me to be exactly what we mean when we say “Welcoming All on Providence.”
Having overnight hosts is critical to making this work. Because I’ve been an overnight host several times over the years, I’ve been asked to tell you how great a volunteer opportunity this is.
And in thinking about what to say today I kept coming back to the theme song from one of my favorite shows. I know you know it. And I apologize if I butcher this. “Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got, taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away?” You know it, right. It’s about a place “where everybody knows your name.”
That’s what Room in the Inn is. It’s a place where we greet everyone, friends old and new, by name. There are no strangers there. And we laugh a lot, like when Miranda, one of our guests this week, said she’d read something online saying that John Travolta had died. But we were able to determine that it was just some of that fake news we hear so much about. Travolta is very much alive. His career, on the other hand.
And it’s a great way to get to know more about each other. Especially your fellow church members. For example, I had no idea that SOME people, Peter Devlin, John Parker, Phil Tappy, like to spread vicious lies that I snore. I don’t. Not at all. So don’t believe them.
It’s also a great getaway from own worries. A few weeks ago when I hosted we were watching The Martian in the Youth Building. Unfortunately we didn’t get to finish it before we had to call it a night. One of our guests was pretty disappointed she didn’t get to see the end, and another of the guests told her “just think of it this way, when you get your house, this can be the first movie you watch there.” Wow. Think about that for a minute. That will give you some perspective on what it is we worry about and what we look forward to. It surely did for me.
And there’s no question that Room in the Inn is a welcome break for our guests. This past week, Miranda, the guest I mentioned, posted on Facebook that she was staying here. She wrote, “God’s rest is like no other. Thank you, God.”
She then reviewed us on Facebook, which I didn’t know you could do. She said, “The people were awesome. God’s spirit definitely dwells at Trinity.”
Folks, we sure could use your help to keep this going. On the nights of January 25, February 1, February 8, March 1, and March 8 we still have openings for overnight hosts. Please sign up to host through the Room in the Inn page on the website or contact Lynette Neel. I promise you, you won’t be sorry.
Cheers!
Josh Durham, from a Minute for Mission, January 22, 2017