Reading through Exodus, I noticed about half of the book is dedicated to instructions on co-creating sacred space, called the tabernacle.
God invited people to partner by bringing their gifts to build the tabernacle (25:1–7). The tabernacle instructions reveal God’s desire to dwell near God’s people (Exodus 25:8). Through presence and partnership, God lays the foundation for belonging through sacred space.
I have found this Scripture both instructive and encouraging as our family prepares sacred space in our home bi-weekly through a gathering we call Food, Fun & Faith, centering the different needs of elementary-aged children and their families – to belong, believe, and be strengthened to follow Jesus together. The Israelites took great care in constructing a heaven-on-earth space where God and humanity could be together. In our own way, we try to take that same care.
We take great care in preparing the table and main dish for 14-16 people to belong by spending time together through a shared meal. We take great care in centering the needs of one another so everyone belongs: working at understanding children with speech differences, providing extra time to answer questions or complete activities, using a microphone so everyone can hear and focus, eating foods that are free of gluten, processed ingredients, and pesticides, with little dairy, and setting up the space for whole body listening. For us, whole body listening means helping children engage not only with their ears, but with their whole bodies so they can listen and learn.
Setting up sacred space for whole body listening has been a learning curve given the different needs of children. It’s included adding an additional play time between dinner and faith formation and a “connect and redirect” area for children and their parent/caregiver when they are having a hard time. These adjustments help make sure everyone can engage.
Just like the Israelites co-created sacred space by drawing upon the willingness and skills of one another, everyone in Food, Fun & Faith has been invited to partner. Families bring a side dish for dinner. Adults take turns reading and facilitating in faith formation. Children with their parent/grandparent take turns leading the Lord’s Prayer at dinner or a breath prayer before faith formation. Children and adults shape plans through feedback on what went well and what could be improved. Together with children with differences, we are discovering the goodness of Jesus and the good gifts in ourselves and one another, so that we will use our gifts to seek the good of our neighbors.
This Sunday, Food, Fun, & Faith will be co-creating a plan to create sacred space on the ADA-accessible Kansas City Public Schools playground. The school counselor would like to partner with us in hosting a Play for All after school on the playground to create a time and space for belonging by spending time together. This is a way for us to join in Jesus’ love by inviting others who might be seeking belonging. We believe belonging makes room for differences in others to shine and makes a brighter and more beautiful world.
MWC Fresh Expressions of Church
Food, Fun & Faith is part of the Midwest Conference’s Fresh Expressions of Church pipeline, a church planting initiative that encourages leaders to start small and listen deeply to their communities. Through coaching, shared learning, and modest funding, leaders experiment with simple gatherings as they discern how the Spirit may be inviting them to grow new expressions of church.
