Beautiful Hospitality

This weekend, Forest Lake welcomes guests from all over for the 4^th of July parade on the 250^th birthday of our country. Forest Lake puts on one of the best parades and turns the weekend into a celebratory event that we’re known for.

I love that this event is taking place while our country is hosting the most well-attended World Cup soccer event in history.

We are witnessing national pride from countries all over the world who come to cheer on the beautiful game. I’ll admit, when I was younger, this was the boring-full game. Yet, I’ve grown to appreciate how soccer isn’t just a bunch of athletes running around. There is a lot of excitement in the implications of a game that ends in a 0-0 draw. 

Being a host is an important responsibility. The stories that I’m drawn to are reactions from visiting fans.

Many of these guests had stereotypes about the United States. I love watching interviews with these visitors to our country who have had a change in perspective.

A British fan who’s amazed how a school bus gets kids places every day. Tourists whose jaws drop at the size and convenience of Costco and Walmart. Japanese fans captivated at the delicious Kansas City BBQ. There’s an odd obsession with ranch dressing that prompted the Transportation Security Administration to warn travelers that it is considered a liquid and must be put in checked bags.

The Norwegian fans have introduced us to a version of rowing the boat that needs to be adopted by the Minnesota Vikings and added to the skol chant.  

Japanese fans have a custom of cleaning the stadium, even the section that the other team sat in. They bring their own trash bags. 

Some things have been criticized, like the tipping culture on everything that we buy, but for the most part, much of the reaction has been that of receiving our welcome.

What I’ve noticed is that these guests are surprised at the ingenuity of the US way of life when they meet people and not just hear about our country on the news. There are legitimate things to criticize about the USA, but these visitors have embraced the one thing that makes our country unique: our people, our customs, and our blending of many cultures. 

There’s beauty in the hospitality of an event like this. It’s a reminder that we shouldn’t take for granted how we welcome others this Independence Day weekend. While we aren’t hosting a slew of foreigners from other lands, we are representing our community to many people from out of town. 

I hope we, the Forest Lake community, take the lead from our experience hosting the World Cup with an extra smile and show a bit of patience in the midst of large crowds can make a positive impression on guests.

Wouldn’t it be great if that attitude could continue after the parade is done and when the soccer games are finished? It can. We can set the tone for how we care for each other. We can serve as an expression of our faith and pride in our home.

That’s a thing of beauty.

Pastor John Klawiter is the senior pastor of Faith Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Forest Lake. For more information, email him at