church in the round

How do you choose a family meal table? It was a few years into our marriage before we were able to replace our hand-me-down table for a new table, free from dents and scratches that marked someone else’s stories. Time for our own table, our own dents, and family marks. But what table to buy? For us, it was easy. We wanted a round wooden table at which everyone is pretty much face-to-face, with no “head of the table”. All would be included in the circle where there is no sense that one person is more important than another.

Your Worship & Music Team and Pastor asked if I would write some thoughts and reactions to a couple of changes we are going to try this summer, from June 23rd - August 25th. It involves a different kind of table and a modification to the sanctuary seating. You probably have noticed by now that I talk a lot about the Table and the Meal. They figured I might help us think through the change together.

How do we think about these changes? When thinking about the worship space, the question is, “Does it proclaim the Gospel?” When it comes to arranging the furniture in a room in our house, the question is, “Do I like it?” I can usually give a pretty quick answer to that question; though if you ask my wife, she will more often hear me say, “Let me think about it or let me live with it awhile and I’ll let you know.” In the church, it is not about whether we like it; rather, does it proclaim the Gospel of forgiveness and grace, of healing, wholeness, and justice for ALL people and creation?

During the summer, what will we encounter? The rectangular table will be replaced with a round table. The chairs will be set in a more semi-circular arrangement around the table, allowing the table to be in the midst of the congregation and enhancing the ability of the congregation to see each other face-to-face in community.

In thinking about this new arrangement, I discovered that Lutherans have developed a set of principles for worship. You can find them online at https://download.elca.org/ELCA Resource Repository/Principles_for_Worship.pdf. They are worth your attention. I am impressed with how purposeful Lutherans approach our worship life. “Principles for Worship Space” starts on page 67. Principle 10 states: “The table of our Lord Jesus Christ is set in the midst of the assembly. . . . The table itself is the primary symbol. .. . . Consideration should be given to easy access and a sense of gathering around the table.”

The table is central to the Christian faith. Jesus ate many meals at table with a variety of people. Christianity started out as a meal fellowship, and still is. No wonder the preferred New Testament word for “minister” is “table server,” a server of food. So, it is good that we are thinking about the table, its shape, size and placement within the body of Christ. A round table symbolizes that all are included. Even more importantly, it says that in this place, all are equal. No one is more important than another.

As we enter a period of trying something a bit different, don’t forget that the changes are temporary. In the fall, we will return to the previous setting. As we worship this summer, let us be attentive to what God might be doing in our midst. The sanctuary is a place of encounter; a place for encountering God and each other, a place to connect. How do the changes enhance our encounter with God and with each other?

Blessings,

Rev. Michael Brown

Retired Table Server