Nympha and the Church in Her House

A few weeks ago, my Bible study group talked about the conclusion of Paul's letter to the Colossians: a litany of people to greet or who send their greetings that usually gets glossed over. The author of our study, though, drew attention to the fact that each name represents an individual whom God purposefully included in Paul's cloud of witnesses so that the Gospel might be spread more effectively and further afield. 

Colossians 4:15 introduces us to Nympha:

 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

The author held Nympha up as an example of biblical hospitality, asking "In what ways do we, as a congregation and as individuals, offer similar gifts of warmth, hospitality, and physical space today?" 

My perspective on the question would have been much different had I been answering it from a conference room in the state-of-the-art ministry wing of my home congregation's towering edifice with its flagstone façade. Here, I thought of how my church is slowly but surely resuming its pre-pandemic activities. Whichever pastor gives the announcements after church each Sunday always includes the same rundown of opportunities for all members to support said activities with their presence, no strings attached. Last week, I finally found myself free on a Wednesday to tag along to Los Callejones, a sector just a few km. to our southeast, where a group of preteen girls meets weekly for a devotion and craft...on some members' back patio. 

Chickens - the family's livelihood and not for the eggs - clucked and crowed. The homeowner peeled and then boiled an enormous pot of green plantains. A steady stream of neighbors came and went (typically there is an adult baptismal instruction class led by a pastor or seminarian happening concurrently, but they were taking the week off). 

And deaconess student Martha capably led seven young ladies through the Great Commission as recorded by Matthew. I learned that all were from Catholic families and not well-versed in the Scriptures, so she paused frequently to check understanding. What does it mean to be a disciple? What's a baptismal font? 

Then, she taught us how to make paper flowers with three circles, which we glued onto cardboard picture frames bearing the week's memory verse: 

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18)

Manuelito's hidden talent: making flower centers out of yellow and orange construction paper!

In Spanish:  "Jesús se acercó y les dijo: 'Toda autoridad me ha sido dada en el cielo y en la tierra.'"

We managed a decent photo before everyone took their juice and cookies and headed home. Yes, everyone but me made turquoise flowers. 

Thank God for our host family's Nympha-like hospitality, and plead with Him for the faith of these precious girls, that they might know and hold dear what it is to be a daughter of the King. Pray that the group will outgrow the patio soon and that when that time comes, He will pave the way to a new meeting space!

Until next time, blessings!