I love my TABLE

Well, Sunday night we had an incredible evening with our Creekside
Table. A couple of weeks ago, I had decided that I wanted to pursue a
New Testament meal with our group. By that, I mean that I wanted to
follow the flow of meals in the New Testament, especially the early
churches. In doing so, this would be a meal that was more about
conversation than food, and more about discovery than dessert.

Everyone began arriving at 5:30. Rhonda and I were serving spaghetti,
so we were finishing up the last touches for that. Garin and I had
already set the table with our "better plates." The idea was to have
everyone around our big table and keeping the ability to serve each
other from the table setting - no buffet tonight. After everyone
found their spot at the table - 12 of us total (starting at my left
there was a 2 yr. old with his 20-something parents, another 20-
something couple, a 30-something mom, a 6 yr. old girl, a 40-something
single mom, and a 50-something couple, then me, a 30-something), I
read a passage of Scripture from Luke where Jesus sat with his
disciples for their last meal together. We then each took a piece of
bread from a central loaf and served the person on our right. As we
remembered Christ's body that was broken for us, we then began our
meal. Throughout the course of the meal, the discussion centered
around loving God and what that looks like in our context. That was
rich conversation. As we were finishing the meal, we opened some wine
and filled each person's glass. We then remembered the blood of
Christ that was poured out for the forgiveness of sin and as we all
shared a glass of wine, we each shared our personal faith stories.
Amazing! We celebrated each other's stories as we listened and shared
and remembered what Christ had done in our own personal lives.

After we finished at the table, everyone participated in the Festival
of Clean-up, and the conversation just moved over to the kitchen as we
cleaned up and watched the Packers get beat by the Giants.

I'm not sure that we could pull this off every week, but I do have to
say that it was the best "communion service" I have ever been a part
of. I have shared meals with everyone at the table before, but never
felt as connected as I did that night. I know that was a special
evening. I haven't polled everyone in the group to get their thoughts
and opinions, but I hope they sensed what Rhonda and I were feeling as
we went to bed that evening. Corporate worship with the Springs at
the Y in the morning and a great Table that night - for me, it doesn't
get any better than that!