Our All Nations, One Table event brought together people from different backgrounds, traditions, experiences, and perspectives, and was a picture of a gathering looking forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
We shared in liturgy, prayer, and scripture, offered by local pastors and friends who walk alongside us in this mission of welcoming our neighbors.
We were blessed with song by the South Sudanese Church Community choir, an original Spanish worship song, and poetic messages shared by a volunteer.
The meal was prepared by neighbors originally from Mexico, Haiti, Somalia, Ecuador, Germany, Ukraine, Syria, and Minnesota. Each dish tells a story. Each recipe carries a history. Together, they remind us that community is built not only through shared values, but also through shared tables.
We celebrated what it means to belong to one another. In addition to admiring the remarkable strength and contributions of our immigrant and refugee neighbors, guests proclaimed a hope that is not passive, but is stubborn enough to endure uncertainty and strong enough to inspire action. Hope is something we practice. Through this event, we made that hope visible by standing with our neighbors.
We gathered not simply as guests at an event, but as friends, advocates, people of faith, and neighbors for good.
The evening nourished us, encouraged us, and strengthened us for the work ahead.
