Radical Hospitality
Rev. Amy Bowden Freedman
Date:___________________
Small Group Ministry 
Group Session Plan
Opening Words:
			We are all wanderers, passing through,
			guests of the universe,
			and our job as a religious clan is to share earth’s bounty
			and to set a warm, inviting place for one another.
							-Carolyn and Tom Owen-Towle

Check-in

Topic: 
The inspiration behind “Radical Hospitality” is the Rule of St. Benedict, which Christian monasteries have followed for over fifteen hundred years.  Although monks choose a life of devotion set apart from society, Benedict knew that outsiders, pilgrims, and the poor would always find their way to the monastery door.  Instead of viewing strangers as an interruption of their holy duties, Benedict emphasized the importance of welcoming the stranger.  Instead of drudgery or something for which to make allowances, the unexpected guest is considered a means of grace.

•	Have you experienced “radical hospitality”?  If so, what did that person or group do to make you feel truly welcome? 

•	Describe a time that an encounter with a stranger or an unexpected guest touched your life in positive ways.

•	What factors hold you back from connecting with strangers?  

•	Offer some ideas for ways for us to practice “radical hospitality” in our daily lives.  
 
Sharing/ Deep Listening
Conversation
Likes & Wishes
Closing Words: 
	Until we meet again,
	may power, connection, satisfaction, and joy
	flow through us
	in our giving and in our receiving.
						-Barbara Hamilton-Holway