Hi Church,
A week seems to turn around very quickly at Grace Church. It starts on Tuesday with the staff gathered, talking, reviewing, praying, planning for the weekends that are coming. Then we begin to implement, make calls, write material, gather necessary resources, interact with other churches and community needs, more praying, more preparing, pastoral caring in house for those in need, mid-week life groups, connecting with those individuals who need encouragement, then before we know it, the large group meetings are happening! World Changes Youth with 40 plus teens going bananas in the Shed, Children gathered for Kingdom Kids, World Changes Youth Sunday, Main Congregation worship and then Preaching, and Prayer ministry and then gathered for Ministry training and discussion with Worship Team after. Then we take a breath and its back into it again.
This is a glimpse of one of our normal weeks at Grace. It’s exciting, it’s rewarding, it’s necessary, and sometimes exhausting and we are always praying that its fruitful for His glory. That’s what it looks like from the staff leadership team as we are helping to create the structure for a dynamic community. We are preparing each week for people to sit at tables where they can taste and see that the Lord is good!
My message last Sunday was the first three points about the truth of community as a value at Grace Church. This Idea of Community is built around the imagery or metaphor of being seated at a table. Not just any table but the “table of the Lord”, where the wine of His presence and the meal/meat of Discipleship are served. Here is a summary of my message:
At the heart of our vision for Community is the understanding that the Table is sacred. When we gather, we are not simply being social; we are participating together in something holy. Scripture reminds us that in sharing the bread and the cup, we are united as one body in Christ, and our allegiance is being formed by what — and who — we partake in (1 Corinthians 10:16–21; 1 Corinthians 11:27–29). The Table calls us to examine our hearts, pursue unity, and honour one another as members of Christ’s body.
The Table also forms the people. Community is not about sameness but oneness — a shared passion for Jesus shaped by love (John 17:20–23). Like living stones, we are being intentionally placed together by God, built into a spiritual house where His presence dwells and is being passionately pursued (1 Peter 2:5; Acts 2:1; Acts 4:24).
Finally, the Table is where transformation sticks. Presence awakens us and discipleship shapes us, but it is shared life — praying, eating, learning, and walking together — that is what forms lasting character (Acts 2:42–47). Transformation does not happen in isolation; it takes root over time as we commit to one another in community.
Points 4 and 5 will complete the message this coming Sunday. But what we have here provokes us to consider why do we gather? Are we here to consume or are we here to contribute to the meal? Do we consider the gathering as something common or something Holy? Are we prepared to just sit near someone at the table or commit to walking with them through life?
So lets be participators Church. With you together at the table of the Lord.
Love Ps Greg and Amanda