THE REBIRTH OF TABLE-CENTERED COMMUNITY
THE REBIRTH OF TABLE-CENTERED COMMUNITY
“The Son of Man came feasting…” Luke 7:34
I'm struck by how Christian spirituality and practice serve as a powerful remedy to the growing trend of "eating alone" in today's American culture.
Do you recall the family dinner? Do you recall the most recent occasion you experienced one? It is experiencing a significant downturn in America. The data that I’ll show you below illustrates a trend in American culture that shows a growing preference for solitary dining experiences. But, to be fair, lifestyle issues and the rising price of housing also contribute to the dining alone trend. Currently, 27% of Americans live alone. The stigma surrounding eating alone has vanished. Reservations for solo dining have increased by 29% over the past two years. Also, the increasing expense of housing has led to smaller house sizes. Room for dining tables in American homes is no longer a staple of house design. Dwell.com states, "it's time to (officially) cancel the dining room," as 30% of Americans now eat dinner on the sofa.
While I’m focusing on the family dinner, data shows that the eating alone trend has spread to breakfast and lunch:
53% of Americans eat breakfast alone or in their car on the way to work
45% of Americans eat lunch alone, often at their desk
Family dinners still occur occasionally, if not regularly. Many families will gather for Thanksgiving later this month. But statistics reveal that more and more Americans are choosing to eat alone. When asked why they eat alone, here are the responses:
43% report that they prefer eating alone to “ catch up on TV programs they enjoy.”
21% prefer eating alone because they “can get more done.”
18% prefer eating alone because “it is my time.”
Creating table-centered community is a primary missional opportunity for a culture that is now eating alone more than ever. Table-centered communities are in most ways the wheelhouse of Christian spirituality. One needs not wait for centuries for the church to begin gathering around meals. It is a practice that dates back to the first few days following the church’s inception. The original document describing the birth of the church has a famous chapter two. We often focus, rightly so, on the role of the Holy Spirit in the creation of the church. But we overlook a small line that occurs at the end of that chapter at the peril of the church’s mission. Within days of the church growing from 120 people to 3, 120 members, the church began to gather around tables for meals.
“They broke bread in their homes and ate together” Acts 2:46
Little changed as the church began to grow and spread. By the end of the first century, in the final book of the Bible, Jesus makes one of his characteristic offers:
“If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20
I am thrilled to invite the community I guide to a shared meal after worship on Sunday, November 10, inspired by the table-centered community that emerged in the early days of Christian faith and spirituality. I am uncertain about who will attend or how many will show up. Our lives are filled with busyness and we are often overcommitted, leading us to concentrate more on the logistics of eating rather than linger around the table with our community. But it is worth the effort to call the church to gather around tables and celebrate community. In light of the isolation and polarization we've faced in recent years, fostering table-centered communities might turn out to be one of the most valuable gifts we can offer to our community.