This post is part of my ongoing series on hospitality.

An important aspect of your hospitality ministry should be to include people from all seasons of life as you are able – singles, couples, children, widows, etc.  I think it’s especially important that we include singles (young, middle-aged, and older!) in our hospitality ministry (not just the dinners and parties we host in our homes, but the Bible studies and church activities we plan as well).

I recently had a reader submit this testimony regarding the ministry of hospitality:

As a mid-30’s bachelor, I’ve had quite a few opportunities to enjoy hospitality from my friends who have young children. One of the things that I MOST enjoy about these times is being included in the chaos of family life as both a “witness” and a participant. A few examples:

• I find it valuable to be able to observe as my friends seek to maintain order in the house, including those times when they find it necessary to discipline their children. Should I ever have kids of my own, I think I will benefit from being able to observe how they handle these challenges.
• I get a kick out of the dynamics of family meals. One occasion I fondly remember and am chuckling about as I write about it here is the time that a friend’s child asked his father if he could have some of my peas, as the serving bowl was empty and I had some left over on my plate. Over to his plate mine went. There’s something comforting in moments like that, perhaps a sense of really being included in the lives of others (something that can be a challenge as a bachelor).
• I enjoy the opportunity to seek to serve my friends wives around mealtimes by setting the table and doing the dishes, sometimes all by myself while they put the children to bed. I hope it is something that they receive as a bit of welcome burden-lifting.
• I don’t know how others feel about this, but I’m perfectly happy to be given “chores” to do as part of the meal–whether it is by bringing a specific thing with me, by setting the table, by helping with cleanup, or whatever. It’s a normal part of family life for everyone who is able to chip in, and I’m glad to experience the informality and intimacy that comes with being treated as a member of the family rather than a guest who is to be catered to at every moment.

What ways can you seek to include some single people in your hospitality ministry in the next few weeks or months?

This post is part of my ongoing series on hospitality.

I don’t really feel like I’m the best person to write this post, since I really love cooking, but I wanted to include it in this series.

Not liking to cook doesn’t excuse us from showing hospitality any more than any other excuses might.  It’s just like anything else – we have to ask God for help in overcoming our weakness in this area!

Here are some practical suggestions to help you spend less time in the kitchen.

• Pick easy, easy meals that your family loves.  Ask your husband or your friends (if you’re single) what the best thing is that you cook.  Make that for your guests… it’s your “signature dish”!  Check out my friend Kate’s signature stuffed shells, Caesar salad, and Parmesan toast.
• Don’t compare yourself with others who love to cook.  Let them use their God-given talents while you use yours.
• You can always serve take-out!  One of Tad’s fond memories of the summer before we got married is how a family at our church often invited him over on Wednesday nights before church for Chinese takeout.  
• Gather some friends together for pizza and a game night (if money’s tight, you can ask everyone to pitch in a few dollars for the pizza).
• Host a potluck dinner instead of making everything yourself.  
• Invite friends over just for dessert (and keep it really easy by doing ice cream with different toppings).
• Check the list of 40+ ways to show hospitality.  There are a LOT of things on that list that don’t involve spending a lot of time in the kitchen!
• Remember, the goal of hospitality is to share lives with one another, not to impress!