We share together a Fellowship Meal after most Sunday morning worship services. The meal is a potluck style community meal where everyone should come with something. Visitors are be welcome to join us and encouraged to bring something the following week.
Here are some tips that help the meal run smoothly and facilitate a distribution of effort:
- You should plan to bring something every week. This is not meant to be a showcase of culinary expertise. An Instant Pot or Slowcooker with a family-favorite dish will be most common. (There is limited capacity to use the oven to warm food or use the kitchen for preparation. Use of these items cannot be guaranteed.) If you have children, get them involved in this ministry of the church. See this as an important ministry and one way we can fulfill the command of our Lord to practice hospitality and be in fellowship together.
- Do not fret if you bring the same thing every week. Potlucks already have sufficient variety, so don’t be shy of bringing the same thing every week. It may become a church staple that others look forward to each week!
- Bring your own serving dish and serving utensils. You must bring all that is necessary for someone to be able to serve your food and you must bring everything home with you. There is no capacity for you to leave your food behind in another dish or to use dishes from church for serving.
- As a rule of thumb: prepare enough for your family and extra to share. If everyone brings enough for their family plus extra, we’ll have enough for everyone plus any guests who visit with us.
- Be sure to keep your own space clean and tidy. When you’re finished, clear your table and wipe the tables and chairs. Parents, you are responsible when your child makes a mess. Please be courteous and leave the facility the same as when you arrived.
- Disposable plates, bowls, cutlery, napkins, and cups will be provided by the church.
- Volunteers will prepare drinks provided by the church.
- Be willing to help setup tables and cleanup tables afterwards. Many hands make light work. A cleanup announcement will be made but this doesn’t mean the end of the fellowship. We can continue our conversations while we clean and after everything is put away.
- Most importantly… see this meal as a discipleship opportunity. Come to serve, not to be served. Come to give, not to take. Come to encourage conversation about our Lord over a communal meal.