Come to the Table / Vengan a la mesa
Each year our community centers on a district theme. Our focus this year is “Come to the Table” or “Vengan a la mesa,” drawn from several passages throughout Scripture. As Chaplain Mark VanderWerf shares:
“Come to the Table” is an invitation to both receive and extend God’s hospitable embrace and welcome. All throughout Scripture, God demonstrates this hospitality by making room for others. God, quite literally, made room for humanity in creation. In the exodus, God created a space for his people in the Promised Land. Throughout the gospels, Jesus frequently came to the table and ate with sinners and religious people alike. The culmination of Jesus’ ministry centers around the table and acts of hospitality, too. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus ate the Last Supper with his friends, and after resurrection he appeared to the disciples again, both at a table sharing a meal. The book of Revelation describes the new heavens and new earth as a table set for a banquet. From beginning to end, God’s story invites us to “Come to the Table” and enjoy the feast that is the kingdom of God.
Just as we have been welcomed at the table by God, we are invited to offer hospitality to others. As we explore this theme this year, may we find many ways to “Come to the Table” to experience the goodness of God and grow as a Christian community.