Early in our studies we were introduced to a short article by Parker Palmer titled, Staying at the Table: A Spirituality of Community.* "God calls us to community, to a mutually supportive, empowering, and accountable life together" begins Palmer. He then goes on to examine three images of community in the Bible: the garden, the New Jerusalem, and the table at the Last Supper. It is at this table that Jesus demonstrates his commitment to humanity. He stays at the table with his disciples despite their seeming in ability to understand what was happening. While they refuse to acknowledge the possibility they will betray him and struggle with one another over power issues, Jesus is there breaking bread and passing the cup.
Palmer uses this image of staying at the table in the midst of human conflict and confusion as an illustration of what commitment to real community looks like. Jesus did this, and we can do the same, by relying upon God alone rather than our personal strength, insight and wisdom, or that of any other person. Jesus "knew that there is a God who is with us more fully than we are with each other; a God who will keep us together if we will only place our trust in God and not in our own togetherness." (Palmer, 1986, p. 7). We are called to community, and the God who is with us enables and empowers us to remain in that community with him and one another.
This image of "staying at the table" was an important one for our cohort in 2012, and took on increased importance and meaning as our studies progressed. We would not have made it this far in our studies without our cohort community. Over the years "staying at the table" has taken on new meanings for many of us, perhaps beyond what Palmer envisioned in his article, but no less significant or important. Together our cohort has experienced times of great joy and sadness, and through it all this group -- through the power of the Holy Spirit -- has remained at the table.
So now the table setting is being changed from course work to our dissertation research, and we are all pulling up a chair. Please join us as we gather from time-to-time in this place to reflect on our journey, our learnings, and perhaps share a funny story or two about conducting research, writing a dissertation, all while attending to the rest of life God has graced us with.
--Rick
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* "Staying at the table: A spirituality of community" came from the Expressions newsletter published by the Saint Benedict Center in 1986 (May/June issue). This short article is no longer widely available, but Joe Davis (also a student at EU!) has reproduced it here.
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