Hospitality When It’s Uncomfortable with Rev. Alicia Forde and Tamice Spencer-Helms

Igniting Imagination

What are we seeing right around the corner from where the church is today? Around the corner is closer than we think. The Spirit is up to something and the invitation is to get close to what is happening right now, to pay attention, to notice, and to wonder.

This week hosts Lisa Greenwood and Kathi McShane speak with Rev. Alicia Forde, a pastor, poet, and organizer, and Tamice Spencer-Helms, a published author, speaker, and theologian. They explore the role of hospitality in what is emerging in the spiritual landscape today, not just as a friendly gesture but as a profound spiritual and proactive action that aligns with the justice and love of God. Listen as Lisa, Kathi, Alicia, and Tamice explore how we can expand our conventional understanding of hospitality, cultivating intentionality, letting go of control, and allowing space for authentic human connection.

Guests

Rev. Alicia Forde is the newest member of the Learning and Innovation Team at Wesleyan Impact Partners, serving as our Director of Formation…we could not be more thrilled to welcome Alicia this fall and we are sure this is the first of what will be more podcast conversations with Alicia. Alicia is a pastor, poet, and organizer and most recently served for the UUA, as the International Office Director.

Tamice Spencer-Helms is a published author, speaker, and theologian based in Richmond, Virginia. After 16 years of full-time ministry, she founded Sub: Culture Incorporated, a nonprofit that provides holistic support and crisis relief for Black College Students. Her book released in 2023 is Faith Unleavened: The Wilderness Between Trayvon Martin & George Floyd.

Quotes

• “I think about, like the hospitality industry. I think about the food industry. People come to these establishments with an amount of vulnerability already because they're coming to rest, they're coming to enjoy a meal. I think there is something really powerful about crafting and curating a space and being entrusted with a space that would enable someone to rest or enjoy their family or mourn the loss of a loved one or celebrate some sort of milestone." -Tamice Spencer-Helms [16:11]

• “A congregation is more than just a building. It's more than just those four walls. It becomes about being attuned to the world outside your doors and who you’re in relationship with, and solidarity with those folks, because they too are part of God's kingdom and the community that you serve. It takes missional clarity to understand that your world is bigger than this beautiful space that you inhabit, and it flows out, and that the call is to be in relationship with the most marginal, vulnerable who exist right outside the door.” -Rev. Alicia Forde [27:40]

Episode Highlights

• Proactive Hospitality: True hospitality is proactive, involves aesthetics, authenticity, and attunement, and goes beyond simple friendliness.
• Justice and Love: Effective hospitality integrates justice, attuned to the needs and stories of the marginalized, embodying God's love.
• Vulnerability and Belonging: Spaces of hospitality must prioritize vulnerability and authenticity to foster a sense of belonging.
• Attunement to Community: Congregational hospitality involves being attuned to the broader community, not just those within church walls.
• Contemplative Practice: Slowing down and practicing contemplation can enhance the ability of spiritual communities to offer genuine hospitality.

Timestamps

(00:40) What is Around the Corner for the Church

(03:16) Mosaic Leadership and the Role of Hospitality

(05:48) Exploring Hospitality Through Intentionality and Letting Go

(11:36) The Intersection of Hospitality, Vulnerability, and Self-Love

(20:10) The Call for Faith Communities to Embrace Everyone Equally

(29:31) A Missed Opportunity for Compassion Outside Church

(33:07) Justice, Love, and Hospitality: A Path to Liberation

(39:09) Cultivating Radical Hospitality in Christian Communities

(50:24) Imagining the Future Church Through Small Boats and Big Impacts

Links

Visit our show’s website at www.ignitingimagination.org.

To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.

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