Imagine you have a seafood allergy and some acquaintances invite you to dinner.
And then this happens:
How would you feel?
The people who feel welcomed are the people for whom you have set a table of hospitality.
Source: Doug Paul, edited.
Let's say you host an annual BBQ in your backyard where you invite all the neighbours. A week before this year's event, you find out that the new neighbours are vegetarians. Both parents, all three kids and their dog, albeit not by choice and you have been wondering what happened to your cat. Nonetheless, you could:
A) Do nothing different. After all, they are probably used to bringing their own alternatives to events, and could still enjoy the amazing Caesar salad and baked potatoes with more topping choices than the city's biggest salad bar.
B) As well as buying top-quality veggie burgers, you arrange for portobello mushrooms to barbecue as an alternative to the veggie burgers and make half the kebabs meatless. Etc.
Now in which scenario will your new neighbours feel more welcome? The second one obviously, where you take the time to recognize and acknowledge what they like and choose to accommodate them. You set the table for them. And it isn't hard to do - you just need to give it some thought and consideration.
The people who feel welcomed are the people for whom you have set a table of hospitality.
Setting a table of hospitality in one's home is one thing. But what does it look like at church? What table of hospitality are churches setting without even thinking about it, without realizing whom we are excluding?
Liturgies that reflect the dominant culture.
Sermon illustrations centered around the same type of people.
Scriptural interpretations based on one particular worldview.
Patriarchal hierarchies.
An unwritten dress code.
Unwritten rules about what you can do and say, and what you can't.
Perhaps a better question might be, what table of exclusion are churches setting without even thinking about it, without even realizing whom we are excluding?
What does a table of hospitality that includes others look like?
What does a table of hospitality that includes aboriginal people look like? People who are unhoused? Men and women who live with mental health challenges? People who identify as lgbtq+? Those who are differently-abled? Youth?
The people who feel welcomed are the people for whom you have set a table of hospitality.
Setting a table of hospitality in one's home is one thing. But what does it look like at church? What table of hospitality are churches setting without even thinking about it, without realizing whom we are excluding?
Liturgies that reflect the dominant culture.
Sermon illustrations centered around the same type of people.
Scriptural interpretations based on one particular worldview.
Patriarchal hierarchies.
An unwritten dress code.
Unwritten rules about what you can do and say, and what you can't.
Perhaps a better question might be, what table of exclusion are churches setting without even thinking about it, without even realizing whom we are excluding?
What does a table of hospitality that includes others look like?
What does a table of hospitality that includes aboriginal people look like? People who are unhoused? Men and women who live with mental health challenges? People who identify as lgbtq+? Those who are differently-abled? Youth?
[This stream will be continued in subsequent posts]
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