I am especially excited right now because we’re getting ready for a night to celebrate, and do 2 of the things that Circle of Hope does best: loving and feasting.
We’ve had this quarterly tradition for about as long as we’ve been around (first feast in July of 1996), and each time there has been wonderful moments of people coming together to eat, meet someone new, to worship Jesus, share the communion meal, to tell/listen to stories, have lots of fun, and to welcome people who want to take that step out and make a covenant with the others of Circle of Hope.
Let’s make new LF memories…come Saturday October 27th:
6pm at “Union Tab” -2036 East Cumberland St (map here)
3pm (before the Feast), some people want to get baptized at our usual spot in the Wissahickon Creek (map here).
A fond Love Feast memory of mine was in the Summer of 2004 when we were in Fairmount Park in Germantown. Before most of the festivities, about a hundred of us trekked through the woods and down the hill to get to that spot on the Wissahickon so people could get baptized. Then we trekked back up and worshiped some more and told stories, filling up the field. I love the image of us journeying together to meaningful stops through even tough terrain sometimes and then regrouping as a visible and physical representation that Jesus lives.
I want to see if we can generate some remembering and some conversations on this site to help show people what’s up with the Love Feast and what it’s about. So here’s a question that I hope you’ll answer in a comment below…what is a favorite Love Feast memory of yours over the years?
Dancing through our Soul Train Line at the Northwest space. Such a big space, with such a high ceiling, and it was really full of people. Has to be one of the largest love feasts ever. Bryan and Brenda can really dance too!
Love feasting is one of my favorite aspects of our community. Breaking bread with one another is such a beautifully simple way in which we can love on each other. Regardless of philosophical, religious, cultural, or one of the other thousands of other differences of which we choose to box ourselves in with, we as humans can all agree that in order to continue functioning day to day, on a physiological level, we must give our bodies food on which to run. The beauty of this reality is something that I learned through our community. I was originally brought to Circle of Hope through an invitation to a family dinner. I love that Jesus often met with people over the sharing of meals. It is so basic it rocks my world. Loving people through meal-sharing is such a tangible way in which we can begin to relate to our neighbors like Christ did. Let us feast in His love together this Saturday! I’m stoked.
my favorite love feast memory is when brandi covenanted holding her not quite yet 2 year old son elisha. other than the fact that they were both adorable, the awkwardness of elisha grabbing for the microphone and making funny faces while brandi is in the process of making a serious commitment was very endearing to me. it seemed symbolic of what circle is about… not trying to pretend like we have it all together, just trying to make serious decisions for Jesus in the middle of craziness.
The last love feast at 10th and Locust always stands out. I remember walking in and it being unbelievably crowed, the music was loud, everyone seemed to be singing their hearts out. It was mind blowing.
The last love feast I remember at Union Tabernacle was pretty memorable. It was the first time i heard “In a dry and weary land”, a worship song written by Dan Snook, one of our worship leaders. It is really fun to worship together and express our gifts. Congregations coming together to worship together is extra special.
I loved when Jeremy recommended Jenna. He made her cry he loved her so much. Let’s keep sharing in that Love.
I just saw Raleigh Bowers quite grown up since the last time I saw him. 10-27-07. Maybe not my favorite memory — but a nice one. And what about Brittney and Michelle. And Katie Jo calling us Yankees? And that marvelous variation on magice cookie bars?
i really enjoyed when we feasted up in the northwest with Bryan and Brenda, especially the time when we got together and played football and bbq’d in the park up there. so much fun! i really enjoy witnessing baptisms too; it keeps me present to what God is doing through us. That newness / restoration is so great to be a part of. What takes the cake for me though was watching in awe and wonder at Julius and Melissa Rivera dance down the soul train line up at the NW together. They were so good! It was like they’d been waiting for that moment their whole lives! It was beautiful.
I really appreciated when Danielle Felger asked Jesse Parsons, when he covenanted, what other major “covenant” he had made. He replied that he asked Lindsey (then Drown) to marry him. So sweet.