together at home
a weekly practice of scripture, reflection, questions and prayer
 Gather the cup, the plate and the bowl. Fill the cup with juice, place a piece of bread or crackers on the plate, and set all the elements before you as you consider the following: Scripture They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. - Acts 2:42-46 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty… This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day. - John 6:35, 40 Reflection Sharing at the Lord’s Table is a calling on our life. At the table, we are called to remembrance, communion, and hope. We are called to remember what Christ has done for us; we are called to come into union with Christ and with the fellowship of all believers; we are called to hope for the day that we will be feasting together at Christ’s banquet table. The remembering part perhaps comes easiest: we remember by telling the story of Christ, by reading Scripture, by singing our hymns and gospel songs. The communion piece may be a little harder due to the face that we are called to come into union- unity, fellowship, togetherness- with not just the people we like to gather with on Sunday mornings, but all the others who follow the apostles’ teaching and call on the name of the Lord who may be a bit more difficult to love- those we disagree with, those who are different than us, even those we may call enemies. We are called to togetherness with Christ and all the fellowship of believers. And last, the call to hope, which may be the most difficult of all. When the world seems to be falling apart around us, when we are separated from the community around us, when every decision or piece of news or [fill in the blank] seems to bring division, it can seem impossible to hope for something more. But, as we pray at the Table during our communion liturgy: “As this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf, and these grapes from many hills into one cup, grant, O Lord, that your whole Church may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth and into your kingdom. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” This is what our communal vocation is: to remember; to be together; to hope. For Christ, for the kingdom of God, for God’s shalom and the flourishing of all. Questions/Practices 1. In what ways do you remember, commune, and hope? How do you remember what Christ has done, be together with other believers, and hang on to hope? 2. Take the cup and the bread/crackers. While it isn’t actually partaking in the Lord’s Table, break the bread/crackers and dip it into the cup. Remember what it’s like to take communion with your church community. What comes to mind? What do you remember about the experience of communing with other believers? How does it give you hope? Prayer God, you have called us to remember who You are, to be united to You by the power of the Spirit, to be together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to hope for the day that You will raise us up to that great banquet table to partake in the heavenly feast. Prepare us, Lord. Give us the strength and the nourishment we need while we hope for that day. Amen. Activity Suggestions - Coloring page link below. Featured Artwork: Communion, by John Stushie 
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