The Welcome Table

This week, think about how you can approach your “to do” list differently, or how you feel called to adjust it. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Maybe get the sick-and-shut-in list from your local church or make one for your neighborhood. Find a practical way to show someone some tender loving care.

When we come with the right quality of attention, the daily tasks of life become opportunities to embody the values of our faith. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​May this truth free you to pay more attention to your life, to honor it, to walk through your day with a sacred reverence. 💛
-Keith A. Menhinick

Whether we are prepping food, washing dishes, driving the car, making the bed, folding the laundry, balancing the checkbooks — our daily tasks are not distractions from a faithful prayer life; they are invitations to do all things in prayer, with tenderness and care. 💛
 

               

We are so trilled to welcome back Rev. Keith A. Menhinick as our guest writer this week! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Keith is a pastoral theologian, Baptist minister, and trauma chaplain. He enjoys deep conversations and the active life — he’s most often found hiking, reading in the park, or hosting a fire pit hangout.

Check out his table talk through the link in our bio! ☝️

Though the path or journey is sometimes unpredictable and unclear, we can sometimes create life-giving opportunities for ourselves along the way. ​​​​​​​​✨​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Consider the things that allow you to feel renewed in body and in spirit - alive and present to the day. Take some time to reflect on one in particular. How might you intentionally allow for these opportunities to find you along your journey?​​​​​​​​
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Consider the many ways we get from one place to another - opportunities for transition. Reflect on a time when you transitioned from one place to another, or one way of being/thinking to another. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​How did you get there? What was the process? Was it a slow process? Did you feel rushed or hurried? Even now, are you settled in the journey or do you feel you have a ways to go yet? ​​​​​​​​
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Have you ever been faced with circumstances so overwhelming that you felt stuck? How did you feel during those moments - did you feel scared, angry, defeated? ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Reflect on the ways that you felt God was with you, even in the midst of your trials.​​​​​​​​ 💛
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It is always such a pleasure to welcome back Khette Cox as our guest writer! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Khette is an ordained minister who works as a chaplain in healthcare, and in her spare time is learning the piano, enjoys watching live music, and loves life with humor and a sense of the sacred. She lives in Old Hickory, TN where you will probably find her on her front porch with Felix, her Newfie mix, waving at her neighbors.

Check out her Table Talk this week! Link in bio!

Loving God, ​​​​​​​​​Helps us to find the courage to leave the disruptions of the world on the sideline, at the bush, at the well, and seek to open your heart and hands to be touched by Jesus’ hunger for mercy, peace and love. May we receive your holy anointing.​​​​​​​​​Amen. 💛

Consider how placing a focus on your breath allows us to be present in that very moment. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Take a few moments of solitude this week - maybe it’s going to a familiar place that provides you with opportunities to sit and breathe deeply. Maybe it is starting a new practice that might allow your mind to release its hold on the everyday to-do list. ✨

Our hearts long for God - for rest, for peace, for joy, for love - for what is, and for what human eyes cannot see, nor grasp. Our souls enter into the vastness of nature to be reunited with Oneness and feel God’s gentle touch. We seek what we have yet to perceive with human eyes. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Make time to experience this sacred embrace. It is manna for my soul — to quiet ourselves and to listen humbly for God all around us. 🙌✨

We are thrilled to welcome back our dear friend and this week’s guest writer, Rev. Sandra Dorsainvil! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Sandra is a Ministry Coach & Retreat Facilitator through the Center for Career Development & Ministry. She also responds to individual and corporate ministry needs within and outside the U.S. as an independent consultant at CONNECT-SD, LLC. Sandra holds advanced degrees in psychology, rehabilitation counseling, and pastoral ministry; she is an ordained minister with ABC-USA, as well as a published author and retreat leader. Sandra is passionate about missions and enjoys paddle boarding.

Check out her Table Talk through the link in our bio!

God of living water, ​​​​​​​​​Guide our bodies and minds toward healthier and more sustainable patterns of well-being and relationship. Help us remember that we are worthy and deserving of all the benefits of healing for ourselves and our world, not only those of water, but also those of intention, self-care, and community. ​​​​​​​​​Amen. 🙏

It takes intention to reach out when those around you and in your circles of caring aren’t immediately available. It takes intention to invite friends to lunch, to make space for them in your life. It takes intention to put down the phone and engage with family in the evening. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​For me, prioritizing relationships is also an invitation to spend time in prayer or scripture, to drink the “living water” of being in a relationship with God and to let God’s teachings shape my life and my responses. ��Being in relationship with others, being a part of community, helps us all feel less alone, and may even provide a way to help others. 💛

Summertime is an invitation to let our rhythms change, to spend time in some “blue space” and to let the water change us, whether that is drinking more water, spending time by the water, or taking in the living water that Jesus offers us. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​How are you being changed by the water this summer? ☀️💦

We have the absolute pleasure of introducing you to this week’s Table Talk writer, Kari Baumann!!! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Kari is the Pastor to Children and Families at College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro, NC. A former school librarian, Kari is passionate about progressive faith education for children and incorporates picture books in her programming. She lives in Greensboro with her husband, an elementary school teacher, and her son, a middle schooler. She enjoys reading, walking in the local park, and attending concerts and live theater. Her most recent concert was Maggie Rogers.

Do yourself a favor and check out her reflection through the link in our bio! ✨

The wilderness offers honest companionship. A sense that we are there for and with one another — to meet one another and accompany one another from one encounter to the next, unconditionally. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​There is a sense of intimacy, connectedness, and a striking sense of reciprocity — a give and take of experience and emotion, sometimes of joy or wonder, but also at times a sense of grief and sorrow. It is a holy space where we can encounter the divine in ways not found elsewhere. ✨🍃🐾

Generous God,
Awaken my senses to the pulsing of your Word in the more-than-human world, in the whispers of life and bonds around me, to bring renewed resources to my joys and dilemmas. 🏞️​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

There is a soul-full gift found in allowing oneself to get lost in the wild - to open up to the wisdom of creation. ��To “hear” the shift of awareness while noticing splotches of light and heat on the forest floor. To notice my tears at the occasion of a bed of gentian violets. This is the language this woodland community has taught me to feel – to “speak” much more in my body. ��It allows you to become in tune with your own living, to our interconnectedness with creation, and to the ways the world around us can nourish the soul, offering life-giving wisdom. ​​​​​​​​​�How might you find the wisdom of creation speaking to your life this season? 💛🏔️​​​​​​​​​

We are thrilled to have Rev. Craig Schaub joining us as our guest writer this week!!! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​
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Rev. Craig enjoys time with plants, hiking, biking, and sitting in the woods. He is a minister at Parkway United Church of Christ in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and is committed to community organizing, food justice, climate resilience, and anti-racism work. Craig is married and has an adult daughter.​​​​​​​​
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Check out his reflection through the link our bio! ​​​​​​​​
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Loving God, ​​​​​​​​​Like the l***r in Luke, help us to remember the many reasons we should shout with a grateful heart. You have created us in such a way that the simple act of acknowledging our blessings is a deep act of caring for the most vulnerable parts of our heart – it draws us closer to you. Let us not take that for granted. 🙏​​​​​​​​​Amen.

We are officially more than 20% of the way through summer, can you believe it?! ☀️ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​SO we’re offering 20% off of our Seasons of Welcome paperback book series to help get you ready for the season ahead.

Get your copy while supplies last!!! 💛💛💛

Being grateful for being grateful is central to the human divine relationship. Gratitude enhances a lavish, vast vision beyond our current circumstances.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Counting our blessings doesn’t only cheer us up, it can also shift our perspective. Gratitude doesn’t blind us to the realities of the world, rather, without losing sight of God’s contentment and peace, gratitude enables us to acknowledge the negatives and appreciate the positives.🪻

We’re honored to welcome back Rev. Cheryl Harris as our guest writer this week! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Rev. Cheryl is an American Baptist preacher originally from Boston, MA, who is dedicated to the power of dialogue in bridging racial divides and fostering understanding. She is the founder of Cheryl Harris and Associates, Inc., which helps companies and organizations along the path to true inclusivity. Among many notable accomplishments, Cheryl earned a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology, a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Emmanuel College, and an accreditation as a Life Coach; she has served as the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Attleboro, and is the author of "Divinity, Diversity, Dialogue: Listening and Learning Our Way to the Beloved Community". Rev. Cheryl is the mother of two adult children and one grandson. She finds respite in listening to jazz, reading, spending time with family and friends and visiting museums.

Check out Rev. Cheryl’s reflection through the link in our bio! ☝️

Being able to pause the world around you and find true moments of rest is a real superpower. It brings balance — mentally, spiritually, and physically — to every part of our bodies. Rest alone is a healing weapon. It can help neutralize irritability, burnout, depression, and provide us with spiritual connectedness.💖​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Maybe try flexing your superpower, and author your own healing through the joy of true rest. You never know — a balanced, restful season might be right around the corner. Happy summer! 🏖️

Today we celebrate our freedom! ​​​​​​​​
We honor the sacrifices that have been made in the work toward freedom, and remember the the work we must continue to do to ensure freedom for all! ​​​​​​​​
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Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸​​​​​​​​
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We’re responsible for fitting moments of rest into our daily lives! We're commanded to do so!

All too often, summer self-care can consist of pampering events, planned trips, out-of-town visits to kin or family reunions, and “staycations” where, despite intending to rest around home, we fit in DIY projects, cookouts, picnics, and mini (or many) errands! And though those days have value too, finding intentional moments to just press pause has been a game changer in keeping a balance of true rest and rejuvenation in my own life. This is something we all need! 💛​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This week, we are thrilled to welcome back Jacki-Lynn Baynks as our guest writer! 👏👏👏​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Jacki-Lynn is a proud veteran of the US Army. She is an educator, author, and licensed and ordained minister. She is passionate about creating successful after-school partnerships between urban churches and public schools to keep at-risk kids off the streets and Black churches involved in education. She recently relocated from Charlotte, NC to a quiet suburb outside of Philadelphia to be closer to her family and grandchildren and works in Temple University’s Office of the Vice President for Research, Pre Award Research Administration.

Check out Jacki-Lynn’s reflection through the link in our bio! 👆

Play is an important part of life that is easy to neglect as we grow older. There are endless ways to add more playfulness and fun into your life. ⛹️‍♀️🎮🧩 Board games, video games, outdoor games, sports, and puzzles are suggestions of ways to experience more play.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Creator God,
You have created us to be a part of the story you are telling and you invite us to collaborate with you. Help us to be who you created us to be and to know we need to regularly recharge to be the best version of ourselves. Let us be receptive to all the ways you invite us to joyfully experience creating with you. In Your name we pray and PLAY!
Amen. 🙌​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​