Let’s Get Better Acquainted With Hospitality

Keith KettenringHomestead Hospitality House, Hospitality

Last week Rhonda and I sat at Einstein Bagels discussing some resolutions or goals for 2019. We were already five days into 2019 but that didn’t stop us. We’re not big goal setters but the discussion raised some significant ideas, which we decided to implement this year:

  1. New vehicle
  2. More frequent board meetings with new board members
  3. Fitness workouts together at least three times a week – get Rhonda a gym membership with me (I already have one)
  4. Share more on our hospitality ministry beginning with two posts per month, which we would produce together

So, here’s to #4!

Welcome to the Homestead Hospitality House Hospitality Blog

We have been the dynamic duo of hospitality for most of our married lives. Hospitality has always been a part of how we did ministry–how we lived our lives. Experiencing life-on-life with people in our home has changed lives, both theirs and ours, and has brought rich rewards.

While in the pastorate we hosted Bible studies and small groups, opened our doors to foreign students and welcomed so many others into our lives.  Today, our avenues of ministry have changed and we get to devote even more of our time to caring for people in our home.  A few examples:

  • Airbnb on weekends and sometimes during the week. We have hosted over 500 people in our home through our Airbnb “busnistry” since September, 2014. We are humbled and so grateful to have been labeled “Superhosts” receiving 96% 5-star ratings by those who stay with us.  And though we rejoice in the good ratings, we are more concerned and find greater fulfillment in caring for each person who enters our front door.

 

  • Meals with friends, family, and neighbors. We host dinners, an annual Christmas open house for our neighborhood, fund-raisers, and occasional tea parties. The preparations are usually challenging yet always worth the effort.

 

  • Ministry leaders – pastors, missionaries, nonprofit leaders, and staff members – often sit at our table, porch, and couches having conversations about their spiritual lives and ministries.

 

  • Small group meetings

We say all that to say this…from our hearts, we love doing hospitality; we’ve learned much about how to do it and we are eager to share those things with you.  Therefore, we invite you to stay tuned to our future posts where we will offer thoughts on things such as:

  • What is hospitality?
  • Having a heart for hospitality
  • Tips for your own successful hospitality experiences
  • Stories from our hospitality involvement
  • Questions you have concerning hospitality

We hope you will regularly join us for a practical and heart-oriented discussion about hospitality.

“Ya’ll come back now; you hear??”

Keith & Rhonda