On the 16th of April I had the opportunity to stop in at Methesco where I am working on an M. Div. I had not been on campus since December, and now was there for a brief meeting on my way to Independence. However, I arrived about 2 hours before my meeting. During my time of waiting I went up to a place of great learning and communing, the dining hall. I missed some of those fellow seminarians who never rarely went to chapel, or who left campus before Thursday’s lunch but I did run into others. We sat and talked for some time, some coming and going as we caught up, as we explored parts of the passion story, the resurrection and so much more.
I realized how much I missed being in that community, and also that my absence had been noticed and missed, and awareness of my health struggles had also slipped around as well. I missed the fellowship over meals, the way people with different theological understandings, different church structures, could and do come together to share and encounter the Holy and grow in faith together. To walk the path of life and all its struggles together.
Time flew by and soon others had to run to class, and I to my meeting. Then I was off and on the road once more. I arrived in Independence Morning around 8am the following morning. The blue sky was glorious, the birds sang wonderful anthems of joy and hope as I walked around and pondered. From then until I left Sunday around 11am I would find myself thinking, reflecting, and growing. New insights starting to form as I sat and watched people travel from place to place. Deeper understanding of myself forming as I realized the impact various mentors and friends have had in my life as I heard them share papers. Also the great joy of being able to seep in a bit of the insight and knowledge of those with brilliant minds. To talk and share in conversation about theology and more. Some of my greatest encounters came from sitting around tables and sharing with other in conversation. Sunday I left renewed, invigorated and as the rain cascaded down around my car, I felt ready to spiral out and back into the world to Share Christ’s peace.
I currently serve at a hospital in the Spiritual Care Department as a Chaplain Intern several of us often gather and share over lunch, and over the past several weeks a smaller core of us have almost weekly started to gather weekly for a time at Table 45. As we sit around a table, we sit, we reflect and grow together, above and beyond the opportunities to do so within our program.
Yesterday was communion Sunday, and I helped prepare the table for sacramental meal. Today I went back into the sanctuary, the table still out, and was thankful that it is a “table” and for the community that is formed in meal. I remember a congregation dear to me where almost every communion Sunday and sometimes others as well a large portion, if not the entire congregation would go out after church and share in meal together. Always finding room for everyone. At Methesco, at meals if all the chairs were filled around a table, often we would rearrange our trays and say “There’s room” and pull a chair from another table, to one starting to go toward an empty table. Thus I pause and wonder about the power of the table. It is a place where community comes together. It is a place where we can become safe to explore and listen to one another’s stories. I wonder what would happen if we brought more people to the Table, if we spent more time at the table, together in community. Sharing wisdom, insight, strength and support. What would the sanctuary be like if we replaced the pews with chairs around a large communion table or two? What would worship be like if we embraced the table more, came to the table more? What would community be like if we placed more chairs around the table rather than letting one or two be left out of table fellowship? What if we could get a table in places of conflict and say to those disagreeing “let’s sit, share meal, and talk?” Not to pound one’s ideas, or push one’s agenda, but to truly fellowship, to share, to hear, to honor, to respect difference. I’m sure disagreement would ensue, but in a way that leads to peace and unity not division and hatred. So, while I have but a few chairs around my table here at home, I need to open that table up, invite more to it, and share in the richness of table fellowship…
Peace,
— Lyle II