Food

There’s just something about food, that brings us together. Food never stops being part of our church life.

Women United had another cooking class Monday night, and it always manages to do far more than just teach nutrition and kitchen skills. When people are side by side in the kitchen, a special kind of community happens. Nobody gets left out, and there’s something everyone can do. And then we sit down and eat together.

Bruce Chilton proposed that the really distinctive thing about Jesus’ ministry was that he would eat with people in their homes. He took the chance of a meal to give a special blessing. Gathered together, they discovered the community harmony that makes God smile. To the little man up the tree, Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, I’m eating at your house today!” It turned into a life-changing time for Zacchaeus, and Jesus said, “Today, salvation has come to this house!” He told stories about wedding feasts and dinners where everyone is invited. His first recorded miracle was to keep the party going when the wine ran out! Repeatedly he feeds large crowds of people, and he also gathers with his disciples around food: in the upper room for a Last Supper, on the shore of the lake for grilled fish, and in the homes of those who invited him in. Clearly, Jesus just loved to have people get together and eat! Why else would our most frequent sacrament be to reenact a meal?

Maybe that’s a lot of freight to put on a potluck, but there it is. We’re having one about every month, and Sunday lunchtime is our next one. We usually start a little before noon, because we’re out of worship around 11:20. Show up and feel the joy of getting together. Make God smile.