Potluck Dinner
I love potluck dinners! I have sweet memories from childhood of tables overflowing with delicacies prepared by the church family… Mrs. B’s fried chicken… Mr. C’s double chocolate brownies with sprinkles on top… Ms. K’s blueberry muffins. I don’t remember who brought the sweet mini meatballs, but wow were they good! My mouth is watering even now with the memory of those feasts. I would never have known the heavenly taste of ambrosia without those church dinners, those little marshmallows tucked in with the fruit were enough to give any child a happy sugar high! I remember when the Gal’s Gourmet
Treats battled against the Men’s Masterpieces and the whole church were winners in that contest! Some of my best childhood church memories come from those culinary extravaganzas experienced in a gym.
My mom aways brought her Lazy Day cake with the crunchy chocolate topping that I can taste even now but struggle to describe in its full glory. I remember my mom’s pride in her offering as her friends enjoyed each bite. And I remember her sweet comments to others as she shared in their gifts at the table. A potluck dinner does more than just satisfy the needs of the body for nourishment. Those gatherings strengthened the Body of Christ gathered in a Navy Chapel far from where we all called home. At those dinners, we remembered that we were more than people who sat in a pew together. We were family.
Before the Pandemic, Lenape Valley began each church year with a Potluck Kick-Off Picnic. My first Sunday with Lenape Valley, worship moved us out onto the lawn for a feast of our Lenape Valley best, while our guys flipped hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. I left that day knowing I was home, and this new church was family! But then the Pandemic hit, and we became more skittish about sharing food from a common dish. We kept the hamburgers and hotdogs, but the table of delicacies disappeared. We sat at a distance from each other and enjoyed a concert. The music was inspiring, but the experience lacked the warmth of past gatherings. So, our Fellowship Team has decided to bring back a favorite tradition- the Potluck Kick- Off Picnic. September 7th we will gather as we used to, sharing a feast of Lenape Valley’s finest dishes as our guys flip burgers and dogs. My mouth is already watering at the prospect of that feast. But even more, I look forward to sharing in the family gathered around the table, catching up after a busy summer, excited about the fall ahead. Our church potluck dinner will be more than just a meal to meet our physical needs. It will be the reunion that strengthens our family ties.
Yet, even as I write these words, they seem rather trite in the wake of yet another school shooting. Our nation once again grieves unthinkable violence against our little ones. Parents hold their breath hoping that such evil will not darken the door of their child’s school. This time the strike seems even more personal as both school and church were shattered with the sounds of gunfire and the cries of children. We find our safe-haven in our church. Where do we go if even that space is not sacred? How can we think of a picnic when our brothers and sisters weep for their children? But I think this is the time when a potluck picnic becomes all the more important. The Body of Christ must stand together against the darkness of this world. Our fellowship together declares that our God is greater than the brokenness that threatens. Grace is the healing balm for a nation that grieves.
Come on September 7th. Invite a friend. Bring your family. Share a treat. But even if you do not have a treat to offer, bring yourself. You are the most important part of the potluck experience! When we gather on September 7 th, we will make a bold declaration that God’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. (John 1:5) Being stuck at home this August has left me yearning to see you in person again. I look forward to our time together around the table on September 7th being God’s graceful offering to the world.
With you shining His light to the world God so loves,
Anita
My mom aways brought her Lazy Day cake with the crunchy chocolate topping that I can taste even now but struggle to describe in its full glory. I remember my mom’s pride in her offering as her friends enjoyed each bite. And I remember her sweet comments to others as she shared in their gifts at the table. A potluck dinner does more than just satisfy the needs of the body for nourishment. Those gatherings strengthened the Body of Christ gathered in a Navy Chapel far from where we all called home. At those dinners, we remembered that we were more than people who sat in a pew together. We were family.
Before the Pandemic, Lenape Valley began each church year with a Potluck Kick-Off Picnic. My first Sunday with Lenape Valley, worship moved us out onto the lawn for a feast of our Lenape Valley best, while our guys flipped hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. I left that day knowing I was home, and this new church was family! But then the Pandemic hit, and we became more skittish about sharing food from a common dish. We kept the hamburgers and hotdogs, but the table of delicacies disappeared. We sat at a distance from each other and enjoyed a concert. The music was inspiring, but the experience lacked the warmth of past gatherings. So, our Fellowship Team has decided to bring back a favorite tradition- the Potluck Kick- Off Picnic. September 7th we will gather as we used to, sharing a feast of Lenape Valley’s finest dishes as our guys flip burgers and dogs. My mouth is already watering at the prospect of that feast. But even more, I look forward to sharing in the family gathered around the table, catching up after a busy summer, excited about the fall ahead. Our church potluck dinner will be more than just a meal to meet our physical needs. It will be the reunion that strengthens our family ties.
Yet, even as I write these words, they seem rather trite in the wake of yet another school shooting. Our nation once again grieves unthinkable violence against our little ones. Parents hold their breath hoping that such evil will not darken the door of their child’s school. This time the strike seems even more personal as both school and church were shattered with the sounds of gunfire and the cries of children. We find our safe-haven in our church. Where do we go if even that space is not sacred? How can we think of a picnic when our brothers and sisters weep for their children? But I think this is the time when a potluck picnic becomes all the more important. The Body of Christ must stand together against the darkness of this world. Our fellowship together declares that our God is greater than the brokenness that threatens. Grace is the healing balm for a nation that grieves.
Come on September 7th. Invite a friend. Bring your family. Share a treat. But even if you do not have a treat to offer, bring yourself. You are the most important part of the potluck experience! When we gather on September 7 th, we will make a bold declaration that God’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it. (John 1:5) Being stuck at home this August has left me yearning to see you in person again. I look forward to our time together around the table on September 7th being God’s graceful offering to the world.
With you shining His light to the world God so loves,
Anita
Posted in From The Pastor
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