The year 2015 was the year we truly began to understand what it means to live a ministry of hospitality. The church went from being a place that had people in it Sunday, Wednesday, and Fridays to being occupied by people all seven days of the week!
In 2015 we intentionally opened the doors of the church to the broader community, finally getting out of the rut of having to only be open when members were using the building. We made it clear that our building is for the used of the community as a whole and not just the members of the church. After all, it really isn’t our building to begin with – it is God’s.
We became the home of a dance school, an art school, the local neighborhood association. We became a place that neighbors would use for birthday parties, anniversaries, and other occasions. We opened the chapel to the family of a homeless man who needed to have a funeral for hi,. We continued our food pantry ministry and partnership with the neighborhood assistance center. We opened the doors to our neighbors who are wanting to learn to speak and read English by hosting ELL (English Language Learners) classes in partnership with IndyReads and Iglesia Bautista Betesda. We have become the meeting place for the east side residents of a west side congregation. We have had become the home of Village of Hope, a new church plant.
Our biggest blessing has been becoming the home of Iglesia Bautista Bethesda, a sister ABC congregation. We have become effective partners in ministry and regularly share our worship lives together.
None of this would have happened had we not shifted our vision. We are a ministry of hospitality to all of God’s people in the neighborhood. We are living into what it is God has gifted us with. And it is our prayer that we continue to follow the Spirit’s leading into the next year.