The Welcome Table Offers a Glimpse of Heaven

Mount Pisgah Academy students, staff, and Mount Pisgah Academy Church members gathered August 15 in Candler, N.C., just outside Asheville, for The Welcome Table, the first event of LINK, a new ministry created to strengthen relationships between the academy and church communities.

LINK stands for Loved, Included, Needed, Known, four words that express the ministry’s goal for every student, staff member, and church member.

For the gathering, church members were organized into 28 host families. Each family welcomed approximately five academy students and a staff member, along with their families. Thirty-six tables filled the church hallways for the special lunch.

Each host family provided paper goods, created a centerpiece, and brought dessert for those seated at its table. The decorations reflected the personalities and creativity of the families, while a church member and his wife prepared and catered an Italian meal for the gathering.

The meal, however, provided more than food. It gave students, staff, and church members an opportunity to learn one another’s names, hear their stories, and begin new friendships.

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Students who may previously have passed church members in the hallway or sat near them in Sabbath School now had an opportunity to connect personally. Church members also became better acquainted with the young people who are an important part of the academy community. Staff members and their families joined in welcoming students back for the school year while building relationships with church members.

For a few hours, the distinction between “academy” and “church” seemed to fade as laughter, conversation, and new friendships filled the hallways.

That sense of belonging reflects the purpose of LINK. Organizers want students to know they are loved by their church family, included in its fellowship, needed for the gifts and talents they bring, and known personally as individuals created and cherished by God.

Looking down the hallways at 36 tables filled with members of both communities offered a reminder of the great banquet God has promised His people. The gathering reflected the ministry’s desire to make room for others and create a church community where everyone has a place at the table.

Organizers hope The Welcome Table will become an annual tradition, bringing the church and academy together to share a meal, deepen relationships, and strengthen their shared sense of mission.

Sometimes love is expressed through a decorated table, a homemade dessert, or a shared meal. At The Welcome Table, it was expressed by making room for someone else — and offering a glimpse of a community where everyone is loved, included, needed, and known.

— by Tammy Vaughan