Luther's Table Learning Party #1

At our learning party last Wednesday June 10, we had about 30 people show up to Jack's for a beer and some conversation. We started out by giving people a brief update on what was happening with the building and the timeline (we hope to break ground in the next month).

After that, we had smaller group discussions around the questions 1) What do you think that Luther's Table is about and 2) What about Luther's Table gets your heart excited? The idea being that at this point, there have been so many different presentations and conversations about Luther's Table that everyone has their own ideas about what it is, and we (the mission team) hoped to gather some information and feedback about what had evolved since the last time we had intentional conversation.

It turns out that the following are the answers to those questions, as summarized from each group's notes and then collated

• Coffeeshop during the day, adult at night
• Outreach to vets community/high school/unchurched
• Community activites and classes
• Comfy furniture
• Workspace and free wifi
• A children’s area
• Music – live music at night, but in general also.
• Open and accepting
• Food – lunch, dinner, and late night

Right on. The second question was a more personal question, and I think a more interesting one: What about Luther's Table hooked your heart?

• A Place to be yourself, regardless of your church affiliation or not.
• A place to bring people and engage in community and conversation
• Welcoming people

It will be key to Luther's Table's success that whoever the vision keepers are for this ministry, that they are open to complete changes regarding who this ministry is "aimed" at. For many people, the assumption has been that the demographic LT is for is the 20-30 something crowd. For others, it has been to reach purely to an "unchurched" demographic. I say that this isn't going to be about what marketing bracket you fit into at all, but about whether or not you resonate with the values presented.

The people who have arrived at our doorstep with passion in their hearts for this place want to be part of it. They don't just want to set it up and pay for it and let someone else run it. They want to hang out there themselves! If you look at that list above of why people are passionate about the idea of LT, it's because they can be all of who they are in that place. Now, I don't know what it is about having a glass of beer in a church sanctioned location that suddenly justifies their whole existence (and perhaps it's not really about that at all), but it surely seems to lift a burden from some church folks. And as a result, they want even more to add to it. They want people from outside the church to feel the joy they feel having taken off their "church mask" and still finding grace without it.

I think that Luther's Table is going to be a very interesting social experiment. It's going to loosen up the church folks, bring in some non-church people, and create a whole new way of feeling, experiencing, and looking for community. Community comes from knowing and being known, from experiencing welcome and then providing it in return, from a sense or responsibility for a place, and then sharing that place freely.

I hope that church people come and check this out, and more than that, learn that God loves you inside the church, but even more, that God loves you outside as well. As a pastor, I find it completely entertaining when people curtail their language in front of me, and apologizing up and down if they let an f-bomb slip. I always say, "God hears you in the church, and God hears you out." Being the whole of who we are, and rejoicing in our creation with all the foibles and screw-ups that go with it - that is the idea, truly, behind Luther's Table.

And I do go on. Enough for now. I will post more information about Luther's Table ASAP. We'll be having another learning party in a few weeks. Aw yeah. :) If you want to me email me or the team about Luther's Table questions and issues and whatnot, please email lutherstable@gmail.com, and I'll make sure it goes to the right person. Also, if you want a full copy of the notes from the learning party, email me and I will send you the PDF.

Peace to all!

Pastor Gretchen

PS. Enjoy these photos from last Wendesday as well!

Well, we had a great turnout last Wednesday!