The welcoming of newcomers and old friends is considered a spiritual practice at the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

They know that being welcomed, whether it’s for the first or the umpteenth time, touches something deep inside. It fills our need to feel accepted, to belong, to be loved, to feel safe, to be valued and respected.

Hospitality flows easily at SUUF services. Congregants feel at peace, happy to be alive, grateful for those around them, thankful for the warmth of their friendship. Hospitality emanates from the depths of their being.

Unitarians also take their hospitality beyond the safety of their own spiritual community. They open their hearts to encounters with people who appear different, people from different ethnic groups; people a lot older or younger; people who are gay, straight, or conservative; people with unusual beliefs, even those who are mentally ill.

They find that expansive kind of welcoming to be growthful. Reaching out to strangers frees them from the confines of their egocentric self, from the isolation of excessive individualism.

When they make true connection with other people, or the natural world, they touch what is holy. Hospitality starts the journey. As they connect with people at the level of each other’s deepest longings and highest aspirations, they are enriched in spirit.

They feel pleased when a new relative-in-the-human-family comes into their life. They welcome the newcomer with anticipation in their heart, a warm smile on their face, eyes ready to meet the eyes of the other, and their arms extended, saying, “Welcome, welcome.”

February 9, 2024