ABOUT US

Our History

In November of 2009 a tiny congregation, Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church, answered God’s call to welcome strangers into the warm, safe sanctuary of a building that was underused during the winter. Four guests shared dinner and fellowship that first night with members of the church. This small group of people felt that this would be a good outreach “project.” Room in the Inn is no longer an outreach project; it has become a way of life and ministry for more than 50 congregations, and that number continues to grow. Memphis has many, many more of those empty, warm houses of worship that could become sanctuaries of holy hospitality. Our hope is that by opening more and more of them we can prevent people from sleeping outside on the coldest nights of the year. Father Charles Strobel, founder of Room in the Inn (Nashville) describes the RITI experience this way,

“When someone experiences hospitality and safety and a feeling of belonging, they experience sanctuary. Sanctuary is defined by the people, not the space. Everyone can become an expression of sanctuary. Ultimately, sanctuary offers one an experience of something sacred, something holy.”

Lisa Anderson

Lisa Anderson

Founder

Core Values

BUILDING COMMUNITY
ON LOVE AND RESPECT

WELCOMING ALL AS AN
EXPRESSION OF FAITH

GIVING HOPE AND HOSPITALITY
IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Have questions?

If you have any questions about Room in the Inn-Memphis, email innkeeper@ritimemphis.org.

For questions about serving with us, email volunteers@ritimemphis.org.