Matthew's Table - The Weekly Rhythm

WEEKLY RHYTHM

Matthew's Table is a church stripped of its formality. We meet weekly to share in a community meal. We bring food to share with everyone and visitors and guests eat freely. During the meal we engage in a simple liturgy that we call a Weekly Rhythm:

BLESSING – The word "blessing" means "to empower to strength." We seek God's blessing and pass that blessing on to others. As we gather we intentionally speak words of blessing and affirmation over each other.

EATING – Sharing food has always been central to a shared life of community. We want to place worship and communion back where it began: as a delight in the middle of the shared table. We eat and drink in remembrance of Christ - looking back to the cross and forward to his return.

LISTENING – We believe that God is capable of speaking to us. We do not confine him to any particular medium, but we try to be attentive to his voice, wherever and whenever it speaks. We provide a period for reflection, meditation and listening to the voice of God.

LEARNING – We desire to take on the image of God and to participate in his plan. We seek out knowledge about God to help us to do this. We gather around the Scriptures and learn together, discussing issues that confront our world.

SENDING – We are ambassadors who bear God's image in the world. We remind ourselves regularly that we are sent to participate in God’s activity in both our local and global cultures.

Matthew's Table is a church affiliated to the Southern Baptists, which meets in Lebanon, Tennessee.