several years back our friend lynda asked if we could meet up once a week to talk about life and at that time parenting as she was taking custody of her grandson. so we began meeting round a meal. it came up in conversation with a couple of other friends and they joined in and over the years various others have joined in and come and go. there are some occasional visitors who feel like they are part of the extended table family. sometimes there are three of us and sometimes it can get into double figures. the format is simple - jen or i cook food, others bring contributions and we sit and eat and drink and catch up on life. as well as a meal there is usually something to spark conversation - a poem, a thought, a prayer, a reading. and there is always space to share joys and sorrows and to pray together. the prayer is usually informal - it might involve lighting a candle, or sometimes a simple liturgy as we remember christ in sharing bread and wine in the meal, or sometimes it is enough to be held in silence for a moment. it's not really religious and we have tried to make it open and welcoming to anyone - as long as they are happy for food, conversation and prayer (whatever way they interpret that) all is well.
it is so simple. from the start jen and i agreed we wouldn't put effort into content so the thought/reflection is last minute. it's not about that really. but it has been and is a gift to have a group of friends who care for one another and hold one another in life. we are part of grace which is a wider church community but this group is also just as much our community of faith. i recommend it as a habit to get going in your life...
our latest conversation starter has been a wonderful find - lifelines by martin wroe and malcolm doney - a book with colour photographs and 99 reflections. they are spiritual themes but made very accessible for people of faith and none. so we have taken to simply asking someone round the table to take the book away, pick a theme they like and come back and share it with us and we talk about it. as well as being delightful provocations, what it has done which has been lovely is to share out facilitating the conversation starting. the themes are wide ranging - community, silence, waking up, kindness, creating a clearing, grief, activism, prayer... and of course friends round the table is the real lifeline.
i know i hardly blog worship tricks these days but i am going to add it to the list...
Comments