Sitting around the table in the refectory, seminary students gather to break bread together. Another student walks in. We shift our trays and pull up another chair. Throughout the evening, there is a small gathering of students who continue to come and break bread together. I always remember the time that was taken to make room for another individual. There was always room for more.

Last night, a friend asked me what I am doing for Thanksgiving this week. I told her that I was simply going to be sticking around here and spending it by myself. Within minutes, I was being invited to be a part of their meal. There was room for more at their table.

The thing, I believe, is that there is always room for more at God’s table. There is room for my LGTBQ+ friends. There is room for my Muslim and Jewish friends. There is room for those who voted differently than me. Because we are all beloved children of God, there is always room for more at the table.

At this table that continues to grow, I see my LGTBQ+ friends who are celebrating the announcement of a new child. I hear the voice of my Jewish friends reciting and confessing their faith around the table. I see various kinds of dishes; sweet potato casserole, turkey, and dishes from so many different nationalities. It is a diverse spread for which we all can be thankful.

Around that table, the wine is poured and the bread is broken. And as the dishes are passed from one hand to the next, a simple proclamation is proclaimed through that simple act: “Body of Christ broken for YOU; blood of Christ shed for YOU.” This table is a place for every single one of us to be seen, loved, and heard in this broken world.

“The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It’s about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment.” (Bread and Wine; Shauna Niequist)

This table is a holy place where there is always room for more; always room to listen to one another; always room to advocate for justice, mercy, and kindness. This table is the place where our hearts are stitched back together in our own brokenness because it is at this table that we are reminded that we are not on this journey alone.

“The table is the place where we store up for those days, where we log minutes and hours building something durable and strong that gets tested in those terrible split seconds. And the table is where we return to stitch our hearts back together after the breaking.” (Bread and Wine; Shauna Niequist)

In the breaking, another leaf is added to the table as more and more individuals are and always will be welcomed at this holy table. Will you join me at the table and bring others with you? There is room for ALL.

I am linking up with Holly and Testimony Tuesday, Kelly and the Ra Ra linkup, Jennifer and Tell His Story, Holley and Coffee for your Heart and Kristin and Three Word Wednesday.