Look for ‘Eastern Hospitality’ on community television, online for summer series

Look for ‘Eastern Hospitality’ on community television, online for summer series
By John Popp
As published in Horizons, May 28, 2017
 
In the fall of 2016, the Byzantine Catholic Cultural Center set off on a new task, with help from Eastern Christian Media. This new project’s goal was to spread the faith and traditions of the Eastern Christian churches through media, specifically videos, that would showcase a special meal that one could make during the fasting or feasting times of the church year. A short spiritual reflection was also to be featured during the show.
With approval from their superiors, Father Moses Wright from Holy Resurrection Monastery in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin, and Mother Gabriella Houck from Christ the Bridegroom Monastery in Burton, Ohio, agreed to host the show, named “Eastern Hospitality.” This name was selected to reflect our call to be welcoming and generous to those around us, for as St. Paul writes in his letter to the Hebrews, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:2).
As of May, 16 episodes were completed and released at www.easternhospitality.org, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Our first series was released for the Philip’s Fast, the preparation period before Christmas. These first four shows received much praise, so production of the second series for the Great Fast began in January.
A new show was released every Tuesday during Lent, and focused on the upcoming Sunday’s theme. The recipes that were showcased were typically simple and easy to make for both small and large families.
To date, “Eastern Hospitality” episodes have been viewed almost 8,000 times and will soon be broadcast on Pittsfield Community Television in western Massachusetts. This is a wonderful testimony to the power of the internet to evangelize and to keep our faith and traditions alive.
The show will take a short break from the heat of the kitchen this summer, and will instead release a number of short, one-to-two minute videos about the Eastern Christian faith and various forms of hospitality, always available on our website and social media.
Eastern Hospitality plans to return this fall with new episodes, recipes and reflections, with the goal of gaining an even wider audience. But we could use viewer help.
In order to continue producing great programming from the Eastern Church, we must secure more funding. An online store selling aprons and fridge magnets is available at our website, as well as a way to donate to the show.
If you would like to recommend a recipe, or have a question for our hosts or behind-the-scenes staff, email: [email protected].