Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park

Pastoral Internship Ministry Project

by Kyle Duff

While on an ELCA Pastoral Internship year, an Intern is to develop a Ministry Project to add to the life and ministry of the Congregation. My Ministry Project with Augustana is entitled “Entertaining Angels: A Hosting Church,” inspired from the text of Hebrews 13:1-2.

Starting this week, I will post regular updates on the proceedings of this project and any related material. Come to this section every week over the next several months to hear how Augustana might just be welcoming Angels in our community, and how the Angels of Augustana are entertaining one another. Special updates for this week are immediately below. Continue reading for a larger overview of the project:

Weekly Update:

• Officially re-starting coffee hours! We will be holding space to gather after each service for refreshment and fellowship. Feel free to grab a drink and a snack to take with you to the Educational opportunities or enjoy community time after the 1st service, (Education Hour Refreshments), or stay after 2nd service for more full Fellowship Hour time.

• Reimbursements up to $25.00 are now available for those who wish to provide food/drinks for either the Education Hour Refreshment time (in between services) or Fellowship Hour (after 2nd service). Coffee will be provided & set up by staff or other volunteers each week, but please consider signing up to “Host” one or both of these times contributing any other food or drink and cleaning up at the end. Reimbursement forms will be in the narthex and a new mailbox slot in the main office, to be put in the treasurer’s mailbox when completed.

• Learn more about Hospitality as a Christian Practice at Adult Forum Feb 5th and 12th. Hospitality is not just a part of the tourism industry or a nice thing to do- it is a blessing-laden moral imperative deeply rooted in Christian scripture and tradition, and a key practice to pay attention to in the emerging church. Join Pastoral Intern Kyle Duff to reflect on “the stranger” and hospitality of our Christian past and imagine our own personal and communal practices of hospitality as the people of Augustana today.

• Coming Soon- Bread Breakers small group gathering interest & sign-ups. We will be bringing back a previous Augustana ministry of “Bread Breakers,” gathering together in small groups over meal to foster connection, build community, and encourage one another in discipleship. Sign-Ups will be forthcoming as we hope to kick off these gatherings by mid-March at the latest.

Continued Project Overview:

The “Entertaining Angels” project will center around the theme of Hospitality, both “externally” and “internally,” touching on keys areas of ministry such as our Stewardship and Evangelism. Its purpose is to celebrate and further embed and extend God’s radical, loving welcome in the hearts and witness of the Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park community.

It will primarily include 3 initiatives from February-July of 2023:

• Establishment of a “Hospitality & Evangelism Committee,” initially focused on the Sunday Morning experience

• Re-Invigorating a “Bread Breakers” Small Group gathering program

• Conducting a Hospitality Audit

I also hope to provide some conversation and shared learning around the theme of hospitality as a Christian spiritual discipline in this newsletter and in adult forum on several occasions throughout this Spring.

If this sparks anything for you and you are already excited to get involved, or just want more information, I am, as always, eager to speak with you. Please reach out to my email at intern@augustanahydepark.org or catch me around the church.

I am looking forward to engaging the community more in these initiatives soon!