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March 9, 2008
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
Title: "WELCOME - Open Table"

Today, we continue our journey through our mission statement with the phrase: Open Table. The Visioning Team struggled with this phrase. They debated on whether we as a church really needed to put this phrase in our mission statement. We all know that we as Disciples celebrate an open table and invite all to come to the Table. So why put it in?

Well, unfortunately it is also something that we as Disciples take for granted. Not everyone practices an open table and not everyone is invited to come to the Lord’s Table in certain churches, a fact that I discovered in seminary while I was serving a church in another denomination. It was in that moment that I realized how broken the Body of Christ really was and how naïve I had been as a person of faith.

I was so excited about serving my first church. I couldn’t wait to be a part of the service as a minister. And I remember my first worship planning meeting with the Senior Minister. I was still adjusting to the fact that this church didn’t have communion every week. I was trying to come to terms with this when the Senior Minister shared with me the fact that I was not allowed to stand at the communion table or say the Words of Institution.

What did you say? What do you mean by that?

So I tried explaining, “Well, if it is because you think that I am just a student, than I have to tell you. I am licensed through the region of KY. I can marry and I can bury according to the Christian Church (DOC) in KY. So you don’t need to worry about that. According to KY, I am minister.

And he kind of looked at me, strangely and said “Well, that’s nice but really doesn’t have anything to do with what I am talking about… You are not an elder in our church. You are not a member of our church. You are not allowed to stand at the communion table or say the Words of Institution, well, because you are not a part of this church.”

My face took on this blank stare and I was confused. What do you mean: I am not allowed at the table? For as long as I could remember, I had been allowed to come to the table. I could remember summer camps where my fellow campers said the Words of Institution. I could remember youth retreats where I stood behind the table and broke the bread and blessed the cup. I could remember working on camp staff at Christmount, planning worship services and how exactly we were going to do communion. Would we use goldfish crackers and juice or do you think we could use cookies and milk?

For as long as I could remember, I had been saying the Words of Institution. For as long as I could remember, I had been allowed at the communion table. For as long as I could remember, I had been a part of the Lord’s Supper….

And now…You are telling me that I am not allowed, that I cannot stand behind the table, that I am not allowed to say the most meaning, the most forming words for me as a Christian, simply because I am not a member of your church.

What do you mean by that? What do you mean? I don’t understand.

Why? It is the Lord’s Table and are you saying that I am not invited?

And in our Scripture today, Paul’s answer to that question is No. Paul is writing to the Corinthians to remind them that it is the Lord’s Table that brings them together as people of faith. That this life-forming moment when Christ broke the bread and gave it to his disciples is for all people of God. That this most meaningful moment when Christ blessed the cup and gave it to his disciples is for all of God’s children.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that this meal that was handed down to him was not given to him by just by anyone. This meal was handed down to him by Jesus Christ.

And each and every time that we come together as the people of God, we remember Jesus’ death, a death that was not only for a few but a death that was for all of God’s children.

Jesus welcomed his disciples to the table that night, knowing that one would betray him to the Romans, that one would deny him three times, and that the rest of them would scatter. Jesus welcomed his disciples to the table that night to remember the Passover feast, to remember God’s saving acts in the past of God’s people. And Jesus welcomed his disciples to the table that night once more to show them that God was still working, that God was doing saving acts in the lives of God’s people, that God’s love was for all.

Jesus welcomed all of his disciples to the table that night. Jesus did not exclude anyone from his table. He welcomed all: sinners tax collectors, prostitutes, the sick, the lame, the wealthy, the poor, the righteous, and the stranger. And that is what Paul wants us to remember when we come to the table and say the words that are the most meaningful and the most life-forming for us as Christians.

When people ask us as Midway Christian Church, what do you mean “Welcome: Open Table, we are called to say that everyone is invited. We are asked what do you mean “Open Table, we will respond by saying that this is the Lord’s Table and all are invited to come to it. When we are asked, what do you mean “Open Table” we will respond by saying Come. You are welcomed as a child of God to partake of the break, to drink for the cup, to be a part of the Lord’s Supper that reminds us that Christ died for all of us.

Yes, you are welcomed. Yes you are invited. Amen.

Rev. Heather McColl
Midway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

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