This Sunday we’re beginning a new worship series called “Come to the Table”. So many wonderful things happen around tables. We eat, we drink, we talk, we pray, we study, we make decisions, we celebrate important life events. When our kids visit us, and we sit at the table for a meal, it’s sacred to me. Table fellowship has always been a value of God’s people.
“In antiquity, eating and drinking in community could be a means of fellowship with God. Sharing a meal was often a part of sealing covenants. Hospitality was a core value in ancient society. A household would provide food, housing, and protection for travelers and strangers. Eating together was often the occasion for conversation about important matters. Guests enjoyed a measure of equality. To be sure, ancient societies were stratified, and this stratification was often reflected in the seating order at a banquet. But at table, all had access to the food, and all could participate in the table conversation. Eating together generated a sense of community.”
At Monday’s Church Council meeting, our leaders voted to support a monthly potluck meal for us and our neighbors. Starting this January, we’ll have a potluck lunch after worship on the last Sunday of the month (when money can run low for some). Each Ministry Team (e.g. Finance, Staff Parish, Trustees, and Children’s Council, to name a few) will host one of these meals, and the congregation will be asked to also bring food to share. Our “neighbors” could include people who live near the church; folks who eat at Salvation Army on weekdays; city officials; and our friends and family members (to name a few). Our hope is to “Build Community One Potluck at a Time” in anticipation of welcoming the neighbors who will live here on our campus.
Ralph and I haven’t had dinner together this week, and I’m looking forward to sitting at our table with him this evening. I keep discovering that some of the simplest moments are the most sacred. What are some of your favorite times at a table, and why? I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we gather at the Table and commune with God and each other.
In faith,
Marylee