A note from Pastor Travis 7/22/21
Dear FUMC Family and Friends,
One of the joys that I have been rediscovering since we have begun to move out of the pandemic and its necessary restrictions is eating with friends. In the last few weeks, Sandra and I have been venturing out more. We have had people over and we have meet others at restaurants. Last week, we ate with some friends from North Carolina who were up for the week and this week my cousins from Houston were in town. I didn’t realize how much I missed going to a restaurant with friends or have people over to the house for a meal.
Yet, dinning with friends is not really about the food, though a good meal is nice. The joy lies in reconnecting with others. Eating together gives us a chance to relax and enjoy each other’s company. It opens us to conversation and allows us to build relationships. Our ancestors of every culture understood this wisdom. In English this is reflected in the world “companion,” which literally means “with bread.”
Jesus understood the importance of eating together. The Gospels are filled with stories of Jesus eating with people, often people with whom most would not associate. Well respected members of the community were often shocked and outraged about whom Jesus chose to share bread. In other words, they didn’t approve of his “companions.”
This Sunday, we will be exploring a story of Jesus eating with and feeding others, the feeding of the 5,000. There is something special about this story. It was so important to the early Christians that it is one of the only stories that is recorded in all 4 of the Gospels. Not only that, all four of the Gospels record TWO versions of the story (the feeding of the 5,000 and the feeding of the 4,000). We will be looking at John’s telling of this story.
Join us as we explore this important story and consider what it is saying to us in this time and this place.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Travis