The Table is where the Disciples gather to be nourished. Jesus served his disciples at mealtimes. We have a very clear picture of him washing the feet of his disciples around the table. Jesus would send them out into the world to serve the world and then gather them again to serve them, feed them, nourish them, and encourage them with his wisdom and blessing. Many of his most profound conversations with his disciples happened when it was just him and them – before or after they had served the world, the crowds.
At The Table it is our hope that the same will happen for us who are committing ourselves to be the disciples of Christ. More specifically, we are finding that we feel spiritually nourished on Sunday mornings as we gather with other disciples. We worship God. Before, after, and during our worship we find ourselves connecting with each other, encouraging each other, nourishing each other, supporting each other in the mission Christ has given us. All this happens organically as the disciples meet with each other and share what happened when they were in the world and what they are hoping to do in the world. Sunday before, after, and during Worship is where we are fed by our Lord – the eucharistic meal is simply an outward expression of an inward nourishment. That is what makes our gathering on Sunday morning a sacramental act.
For us at the Table, Thursdays in New Haven and Saturdays in Shelton are the times when we are in the world serving the people of God. These are occasions when we focus on the task given to us, to nourish others, to heal others, to present hope, joy and encouragement to others. We pray with those God sends our way. We listen to their stories. We break bread with them. We offer prayers of comfort and healing. We dance with them. We express our deep love for all of God’s people – no exceptions. This is what Jesus did with the crowds that came to him for healing and restoration. This is what he sent his disciples to do. We do that work and we give our all to it. Our musicians give their all, the liturgical dancers give their all, the food preparation team, the elegant touches team, the greeters – everyone of us gives everything we have in us to express God’s love with no holding back.
On Wednesday some of the disciples committed to this work, pray together and we find inspiration and encouragement in God’s Word.
The rest of the week we interact with the world in our various capacities. We do not shut down who we are as disciples. We may not ever use the words from our scriptures, or get to offer prayer, but we get every opportunity to be authentically ourselves, that is, the disciples of Christ in the world.
Come Sunday, we gather again to thank God, worship God, and find our nourishment again for the rest of the week, especially for Thursdays and Saturdays.
That is our relationship with each other as disciples of Christ, with the world in which God has placed us, and with God as Christ’s disciples gathering around His Table.
Let us commit ourselves to doing three things: 1. Being authentic about who we are in the world, serving all of God’s people with God’s extravagant grace. 2. Not neglecting to be at the gathering of Disciples on Sundays to be nourished for the work Christ has given us. 3. As we serve God’s beautiful world, to make disciples of all nations, inviting them to a committed life in Christ.