I’ve never actually used it yet myself but it’s woirth joining just to read all the great stories on there.

http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/336958/hospitality

The foundation of Christianity, as depicted in the last supper, and as survives in Eucharistic traditions, if only in symbolic form comes directly from sharing a common communal meal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agape_feast

The Agape feast, or love-feast, was an early Christian religious meal in close relation with the Eucharist.

Such meals were widespread, though not universal, in the early Christian world. The earliest account of what can be seen as one of them is that in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22, where it appears associated with, and given the name of, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The service apparently involved a full meal, with the participants bringing their own food but eating in a common room. Perhaps predictably enough, it could at times deteriorate into merely an occasion for eating and drinking, or for ostentatious displays by the wealthier members of the community, as happened in Corinth, drawing the criticisms of Paul the Apostle in the passage mentioned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deacon

The word deacon (and deaconess) is probably derived from the Greek word diakonos (διάκονος),[1] which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning “servant”, “waiting-man,” “minister” or “messenger.”

The American Revolution was basically made in taverns: “the story of our War for Independence could not be dissociated from the old taverns.”

Which is precisely why the British enacted strict rules to regulate the kind of gathering and organizing (especially around music and unitive celebration) which occurs at taverns.

“ The pub laws are crazy,” says Ed. “Legally, you can’t get everyone in the pub to join in on a rousing version of an old tune like John Barleycorn, but you can shout and swear as loudly as you like and have the television on as loudly as you like. We have to go outside the front door of the pub to sing quite often. Legislation has been put through to control what comes out of people’s mouths. ”

From that same article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/nov/14/walkingholidays

“Pubs and churches remain the temples of the land,” says Will. “You go to a church to pray or to have solace, and you go to a pub to meet people. These ancient systems still work.”

And one more, for now:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Hospitallers

The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Order of St. John, Knights of Malta, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers, Maltese: Ordni ta’ San Ġwann) was a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land.