So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve (Matthew 26:19,20).

I have many fond memories of sharing family meals: the cousins at their own table while aunts and uncles gathered nearby; everyone eating, talking, teasing, and always laughing. Holiday dinners look a little different now as loved ones have passed, and the cousins have families of their own now. We’re all grown up, but what remains when we’re all together are the shared table, the laughter, and the binding nature of sharing a meal together.

Meals are used as markers for ordinary occasions as well as the momentous, and everything in between. All share a level of intimacy: holidays, graduations, wedding receptions, memorial services, church potlucks, small group cookouts, a lunch between friends, and regular Tuesday suppers around the kitchen island at home...no matter the occasion, folks with as many differences as similarities are welcome. All are invited to remember a loved one who has passed, to celebrate a birthday, holiday, or new marriage. Even an ordinary “Taco Tuesday” where each family member shares about their day can be intimate and binding!

At Chatham Church we share the communion table on the first Sunday of each month. We come from all corners of Chatham county with our differences, our similarities, and our own life experiences, but the shared belief in Him who gave everything to rescue humanity is unifying. We are bound together by the work of Jesus’ body and blood, and it’s what our fellowship is built on. He left us instructions to, “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) The physical act of partaking in the elements is a tangible thing we can participate in together, and it’s something special when Christians are united in heart and mind and gathered together around the communion table.

We’ve spent a long year doing church in our own homes, but now we’ve got the opportunity to come together in person again. This Sunday, June 6th, is the next day we’ll be taking communion together, at Chatham Mills and various Sundays Together sites, and we’ve saved a seat at the “table” just for you! All are welcome, and you can RSVP to Sunday’s service by clicking HERE.