GUIDELINES

1. Profiles

If you have not done so, please log in and complete your member profile. Your profile is the only information a potential host or guest knows about you. Please give them the courtesy of describing your household: number in household, accommodations, social media, pets inside, wheelchair accessibility, etc. It may determine whether or not your request is accepted.

2. Reference Letters

A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network encourages all members to obtain a brief character reference from a pastor, teacher, small group leader, elder or deacon, missions director, or longtime friend who can vouch for the member’s character. Please ask the person providing the reference to email a copy to you and you can upload it onto your profile.

3. Receiving Requests and Preparing to Receive Guests

Open and respond PROMPTLY to ALL emails or texts from A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network. Email and text are the sole conduits for communication between members in ACWHN.

As a voluntary association, members are under no obligation to accept guests at any time. We ask only that you prayerfully consider requests. However, it is expected that you will show fellow members the courtesy of opening all requests from A Candle in the Window and responding in a timely manner.

Once you accept a request, preparations begin:
Again, be realistic as to how many guests you can comfortably accommodate.
Provide a clean, attractive room with fresh, clean bedding.
Make sure that guests have access to a bathroom and that fresh towels are available.

Our preparations are IMPORTANT… a tangible means of expressing:
“I want this to be special because you are special! You are precious to God and you matter to me!”

. For additional suggestions see “Frequently Asked Questions” page/ (What are the Responsibilities of a Host)

4. Sending Requests

When sending requests, please include your first name, membership ID/username, travel dates, and the number of travelers. If you send a request and don’t hear back within a day or two, resend it. If you still do not hear back, please text both your name and the unresponsive member’s name and ID/username to us at 904-589-0287 so that we may follow up. Your cooperation in this will help our network run smoothly. Members who are characterized by non-response will be archived.

5. Length of Stay

A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network was designed for conversational dinners or overnight stays of 1-2 nights (ideally including a meal). Hosts are not obligated to entertain requests for more than 2 nights. (Please do not put them in an awkward position by asking.) If your stay exceeds 2 nights, please look for another member in the same area or seek other accommodations. (This is an excellent reason for us all to share A Candle in the Window with friends and family in our own communities to begin building networks of members in any given area.) Requesting longer stays will undermine the design of A Candle in the Window, as fewer hosts will be inclined to accept requests, especially in tourist areas. Of course, should friendships or relationships be established, it is up to the member to set the guidelines for their own home. However, when making initial requests, please honor our guidelines.

6. Reviews & Stories

As a hospitality network for Christian households, A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network aspires for its members to display authentic Christian character, which has earned them a “good name” in their own “spheres of relationships.” — Proverbs 22:1 

Reviewing feedback from other members can be invaluable in several ways:

It may help determine suitability and build confidence in choosing a host or accepting a guest request, and it can be a great encouragement to a household, as well as assist hosts in learning how they can better serve their guests. For this reason, after visiting a member’s home, we strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to send us quick feedback via [email protected]. (Important: When providing feedback, please note the member’s ID/username and city for identification and type “feedback” in the subject line.) 

7. Renewals

1- and 2-year memberships will receive renewal notices prior to their renewal dates. Please take a moment to renew your membership. Memberships that are not renewed will automatically archive.

Missionaries and charter members need not renew as their memberships are permanent; however, all membership types are asked to review and update their profiles at the very least, annually. This will help keep our membership directory current and up to date. Should you wish to re-activate an archived membership, text us at 904-589-0287. You need not reapply.

8. Prayer

Before launching A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network, it was bathed in prayer.

Join us now in offering it up for His purposes as we grow.

PRAY for yourselves—that God would engineer whom He wills into your path for His purposes, and wisdom and grace in considering each request (when to say “yes” and when to say “no”).

PRAY for new members—asking God to bring those He would have join us.

9. Contact

For more information, please contact us at 904-589-0287 (texting is the fastest way to reach us) or leave a voicemail. You can also email [email protected]

We are here to serve you and are happy to help you in any way we can! 

Together, we are making a difference. Check out the Reviews & Stories page or visit our interactive map to explore locations. Word is getting out! Recently, when telling someone about the network, he said, “Oh, that sounds similar to A Candle in the Window.” I told him it is A Candle in the Window! We hope you will continue to grow with us.