Colbourn, Cheri 20 Jul, 2014 3 comments
 
LET’S SAY GRACE… Having people over for dinner.
 
Eating a meal with others is wonderful thing to do!
 
Coming around a table, indoors, outdoors, on a deck or a picnic rug, is part of our culture and makeup! And it’s not that hard.
 
One of the best things I heard when we started this Church was a lady who was new who said, ‘I don’t know everyone, because I’m new, so I’m going to invite people around so that I can get to know them’. And Stu and I were one of those people.
 
We did the same thing, didn’t know everyone when we came to Canberra, so we held a Connect group in our home and ate with the people that came. They all knew each other, and we then were in a comfortable position because it was our home. We had a small loungeroom and second hand chairs, but it made for good memories and we’re still friends with some of those that came.
 
Our Foyer at Church is great. It’s big and fits many people in, but the chats we have can be rushed, noisey, interrupted or just quick hello’s.
 
Somewhere in our ‘meet and greets’ there comes a time when we need to say, ‘we should have you over for dinner (or lunch or brunch or breakfast). So what do you need? A table and chairs of any description, food, drinks and well, that’s it. That’s the basic need for having someone over.If you have that, then you are off to a great start. Here’s how to expand it and all the things you can do with it:
 
# Find out from the people who will be coming from their family. Include the kids, cause their loads of fun; include visiting family members (we’ve done that a few times).
 
# If in doubt of conversation happening, invite another family over.
 
# Find out what everyone likes to eat and serve accordingly. It’s not hard to take some stuff out or add some special things in. The extra effort you go to, makes a huge difference to your guests and says ‘you are important’.
 
# Be prepared. If you are rushing home from work when they come over, set the table the night before, clean your toilets and bathroom then as well, and then all you have to do is cook.
 
# If for some reason you can’t get to the shops or your meal bombs out, takeaway works!!
 
# Set the atmosphere. Pray over the night first and for your guests! Candles; an already set table; drinks on arrival; some finger food to start with; music; flowers; the meal cooking in the oven; everyone dressed and ready; no one in the shower hehe…. work out what’s you and how you want your house to feel and then go with that.
 
# One of the things I love to do is set special spots for the kids. So, kid napkins, plates and or coloured cups. It makes it special and the kids love it.
 
So, then they arrive!  Seeing it’s your house, do the talking. Welcome them in; let them know where they can put their stuff; have toys ready if necessary; have a dvd ready if necessary; ask if they’d like a drink; let them know that they can eat the nibblies; show them where the toilet is; keep up the conversation, and be the host from beginning to end.
 
If your guests ask if they can bring anything, then the one thing I like them to do, is bring the drinks. That way, they’ll bring what they like to drink and you can always have a bottle of what you’d like to drink.
 
If you want to serve water, fancy it up and throw a few lemons or limes in, or cucumber and mint!! Hello for yummy!!
 
Conversation will be a huge part of your night. Keep it going and flowing, step out of your comfort zone and ask questions, let your guests talk about themselves, again, if you don’t think you can do just one couple, invite another couple or family over and they can help with the conversation.
 
And there you go. Ask them over again, especially if they are new to Church. Maybe the next time over, ask them to bring a salad or dessert to help you out.
 
One of things you might find is that you might ‘invite over’ more than ‘get invited over’. That’s life… move on and don’t close your house because of it. Be the giver and blesser, be the one that opens your house up no matter what invites you get and in 10 years time or more, you’ll look back and smile at all the people that have walked through your front door to dine or party in your house. I couldn’t even begin to count how many people that has been for us, but it makes me smile to think that we have them over and blessed them in some small way.
 
This is one of things I’m sure God love us to do. He loves His people, who get to be family, getting together and getting to know each other on a different level outside His House, breaking bread, eating, communing and conversing! And as the verse below says ~ with great joy and thankfulness, praising God!’
Acts 2:46-47  They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness,47 praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved.

 

Happy saying Grace at your place, Ps Cheri xo

 

3 Comments | Add Your Comment

  1. Nat Weston 21 Jul, 2014

    Love it Cheri. You are so hospitable x

  2. Melissa Hind 22 Jul, 2014

    Looking forward to practising this week Chez!

  3. Lisa Thow 23 Jul, 2014

    You are SOOO good at this Cheri! It is truly inspiring. My Greek- bless her!- mum brought me up thinking I have to be cooking and cleaning for a few days before people come over. Everything has to be perfect etc. So I have been working hard to go against this, and invite people over whenever, into whatever the house looks like!

    I'm going to print this off and have it in my kitchen drawer....shh dont tell my guests! lol ;P