Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

I really enjoyed preaching on food last Sunday. It really is my conviction that worship and meals go together – not just the sacramental meal of Communion, but the meals of everyday life. 

Churches that share tables with one another are churches that share life together. It has been obvious to me since my first exposure to FPC that this is a church that deeply loves one another. And that deeply loves a good spread. From its roots in the community meals served in the basement sixty years ago to the fried chicken potluck coming up this Sunday, our church has its roots in the value of food and fellowship. I do not think this is an accident. The way in which we love and delight in one another is one of the biggest testaments to our faith in Jesus Christ.

Its also true that churches that take special effort to share tables with the unchurched are churches that are growing. In the Gospels, Jesus combined the spread of the Gospel with the willingness to eat with someone new. If FPC wants to reach this valley for Christ, we could start by making a determination to eat with someone new two to three times a month. One simple act of hospitality can change lives. 

This is especially true in our culture. As I mentioned on Sunday, the twenty-first century has been unkind to communal eating. Less than half of Americans eat a home-cooked meal every day. Thirty percent of Americans live in single-person households. Family mealtime is becoming a rarity, one of the many casualties to the demanding sports and school schedules for today’s high-achieving students. Besides many households now need two or three jobs – plus a side hustle – just to pay the bills. We are becoming a culture that eats alone. And often in a hurry.

Taking the time to eat together with one another, and to invite others into that mealtime, is a counter-cultural act. It can become the center of your Sabbath, the catalyst to deeper conversations and the building block for new friendships.