All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
Acts 2:42 NLT
Dear Friends and Members of IBC,
A few weeks ago, many of us gathered together after the Sunday service in Planten un Blomen, a park close to our church, where we all enjoyed a picnic together. The weather was perfect picnic weather. We had our usual spot, under a large tree, close to a playground. Many people brought large assortments of food to share, the portable table was overflowing with culinary delights (as well as the standard apples and sausages that some British guy brought). The many different nations that make up our church are in full view when it comes to sharing food together. We get the opportunity to taste the mango lassis, the biryanis, the spring rolls, the brownies, the spicy rice, the meat, and more meat.
Sharing meals, breaking bread, sitting down and eating together is one of the oldest customs that we have, and is constantly emphasised in the Bible. In Genesis 18, Abraham was eager to show hospitality to the three men standing near his tent, realising one of them was God himself. And so he hurried to prepare a choice calf, bread, milk and curds. In John 2, we see that Jesus’ first miracle was done at a wedding, where the feasting would take place over several days. In Acts 2, we witness the formation of the early church, and notice that from the very beginning, the new believers would spend time fellowshipping and sharing food together.
Taking the time to eat together is good for our souls. We get to serve one another, we share in the pleasure of eating good food together, and we inherently slow down. We are brought to a place where we must give each other attention and listen to one another. Over the Summer months, we intend to have a few more picnics together as a church. The next one is after the service on Sunday 9th July. Just follow the crowd and bring some good food to share.
God bless you
James