Communally Discerning a Covenant of Hospitality for the Care of Children at Westview Boys' Home

Abstract

This project addressed the lack of a covenant defining the practice of hospitality towards children for team members of Westview Boys’ Home. The purpose of the project was to facilitate the creation of such a covenant. The Westview ministry team already claimed hospitality as a strength; the hope was that reframing the ministry around this strength would improve the quality of care for children and the quality of life for the community. Invited into a communal discernment process (the methodology), the ministry team invested weeks in the examination of biblical texts, theological tradition, personal and communal narratives, cultural trends, psychological data, and sample covenants. These conversations worked toward the development of a local theology of hospitality. The location and definition of principles and practices of hospitality funded the communal composition of a covenant. Process and covenant affirmed and strengthened the ministry team’s ability to function as a hospitable community. The process also engendered respect for accountability to the covenant and the community. Clear standards and accountable behavior resulted in improved quality of care for children residing at Westview, improved ministry team relationships, and diminished stress for some ministry team members.