October 23 | Everyday Spirituality Part 10: Eating Dinner
Group Guide
This Week’s Invitation
Leaders: This week’s invitation will take a little prep time and communication. Choose one of the four practices and do it together.
You know your group best: what’s practically possible, where people are at spiritually, etc.
Take a little time to read the options below, praying God would lead you to a practice/challenge that is appropriate for your group this week.
Option 1: Simple “Limited” Meal
Share the responsibility of putting together a simple meal. Make it vegetarian if possible. Soup and Bread. Lentils and rice. Etc.
Slow down your eating and allow the simplicity of the meal (and perhaps not being fully satisfied) to be an exercise of finding satisfaction in Jesus.
Option 2: Fast, then Feast
As a group, on the day of your gathering, fast from lunch. Use that time to pray, then use the food or money you would have spent on lunch to “feast” when you gather that evening.
Make a feast together (or bring it already prepared). Consider bringing the “better wine” (food/drink you normally don’t have with your small group).
Use the meal time together to share gratitude for God’s gifts.
Option 3: Invite Neighbors to the Table
As a group, extend invitations to neighbors and coworkers, opening up your small group gathering, turning it into a moment of hospitality and generosity.
The group would provide all the food, neighbors able to come as they are. Don’t use it as a time to “evangelize,” but as a time to demonstrate the love of Jesus through your love for one another.
Option 4: Take Communion
If appropriate, or if the other practices don’t seem doable this week, take a couple minutes to partake in Communion together before you eat.
Bring to the table a slice of bread and cup of wine (or whatever you have on hand). Then before you eat your meal, have someone read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, then go around in a circle. Have the person passing the elements say, “the body and blood of Christ given for you,” as the person takes a piece of the bread, and dips it in the cup.
Optional “Liturgy for the Table”
Before you eat:
Read the Sermon Summary
The necessity of eating
The world has to eat because God is the only source of his own life and energy. God has created an interdependent and dependent world.
The joy of eating
Food is a source of pleasure. Ecc. 3:13 says, “This is the gift of God: that all people should eat, drink, and enjoy the results of their hard work.” Eating and enjoying food is a provision from a God of excess.
The sin of eating
The sin of eating, or “gluttony” is not just eating too much, it can be eating too daintily, sumptuously, hastily, greedily, or too much. The problem of gluttony is a problem of disordered loves. Some form of self-selected restriction on our eating can help us to order our loves.
So we might fast, or restrict our food in some other way, but don’t forget to feast too. Food is provision, a joy, something to be marveled at and savored. Properly ordered, may we learn to say thank you for the gift of food.
Give thanks for the food
Have someone in your group pray their own prayer or read this prayer:
Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the Universe, for you give us food to sustain our lives and make our hearts glad; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
During the meal:
Go around and share highs/lows from the week, or go around sharing what you love about the meal, or have no formal conversation at all!
At the end of the meal:
If there is still time and energy, take a few minutes to share prayer requests and pray for each other.
After prayer, don’t forget to clean up together!
