May I have a menu, please?

Convention season is in full swing. Here at the Canadian Conference office, we’re busy preparing for Gathering 2006, our national MB convention coming to Calgary July 6–8.

Over the past months, I’ve had the privilege of attending several provincial conventions. What did I notice? Was there a common theme running through the meetings?

Surprisingly, the thread of commonality was . . . food! Alberta proudly served beef, while Ontario provided savoury omelets for breakfast. Regardless of business agendas, each province worked hard to serve delegates delicious culinary delights, providing sustenance for the day.

I certainly love to eat!

The best soup I’ve ever had was cooked in an iron pot over a roaring fire in the middle of the Great Hungarian Plain. Despite the isolated setting, the meal was shared in warm fellowship with my extended family members. I’m sure the conversation around the old, rustic table where we ate helped season the goulash with its intense flavour. Food and fellowship definitely go hand in hand.

Eating with good friends is an absolute joy! There is something sacred, spiritual, and counter-cultural about sharing a meal together. It’s like a small act of justice in a world of greed, individualism, and over-consumption.

Statistics show that more than 800 million people go to bed hungry or malnourished, yet global food production is more than enough to adequately feed the planet. Hunger is partly a result of greed and ineffective sharing. Therefore, eating together is an act of justice and interdependence.

When we share a meal, we symbolically pledge our care and concern for each other. We share our resources with each other. We lay down our inhibitions, setting aside time to laugh and chat for a while. We remember those who grew and harvested the food. We remember the grocer who sold us the products, and we give thanks for those who prepared the meal.

God gave us food not just to nourish our physical lives, but to nourish our relational lives as well. Jesus instituted communion (a meal!) to remind us that our spiritual bread is the intimate relationship we enjoy with him. Jesus also gave us communion to share with other believers, providing ongoing opportunities to renew our commitment to Christian brothers and sisters. This meal is not to be taken lightly.

Meals are never a waste of time, nor are they secondary features of conventions. There is something foundational and transformational about eating together.

So, when you come to Gathering in Calgary this summer, don’t ask to see the business agenda before you’ve read the menu.