“Building A Bigger Table” Actions

All spring, we’ve been exploring stories about Jesus and hospitality through the lens of “A Bigger Table,” but how do we both create and participate in a bigger table every day?

Here are a few ideas to invite a Bigger Table into your life. These are not a script but a jumping off point that we hope people will use and adapt based on their own needs and comfort level. We’ve grouped them together under the headings of our community covenant.


  • Ride the bus or walk to work without using your cell phone. Pay attention to the people and things you see.
  • Take a journal with you on a walk—downtown, through your neighborhood, in the mountains. Write down what you notice.
  • Pay attention to who you speak to before and after a service at Highlands Church. Consider introducing yourself to someone new.


  • Introduce yourself to people who live around you.
  • Attend a community event where you might not know anyone. Welcome the chance to be a guest.
  • Agree to say yes to every invitation that comes your way for a given week or month.


  • Write a note to someone at Highlands Church who inspires you to love God. Tell them how they have done so.
  • Ask a friend or organize a group to take a hike. Here are a few for inspiration: http://bit.ly/COspringhikes.
  • Volunteer to greet people as they enter Highlands Church or to serve in Communion.
  • Plan a picnic—potluck style!


  • Invite different groups of people to your house for dinner. For instance, if you normally invite families over to dinner, invite a single person to join you. If you typically have dinner with people your age, invite someone older or younger than you.
  • Create a practice of meeting someone new for coffee or tea once a week or once a month. Use the time to practice listening and understanding others’ stories.
  • Read a book or watch a play that expands your capacity for empathy. Find a story about someone whose life experience is different from your own.

Many thanks to Paul Bindel for creating these suggestions for us.