Community Meals

Best Practices

What is a Community Meal?

A Community Meal is an event that brings together different people and families in our church for food, fun and conversation as a way to get to know one another and build community. Community Meal is also an opportunity for our church to show true biblical hospitality to one another. People may already know each other, or they may be meeting for the first time. It’s ok. We are here to be the church and build relationships.

Who can host a Community Meal?

Anyone can host who is willing to open their home, create a relational environment and share a meal with others. It doesn't matter what size or type of home or apartment or condo you may have. What matters is a heart willing to open space for others to come together.

Is hosting a Community Meal difficult?

Hosting any kind of group event requires some planning and some organization, but we are aiming to keep our Community Meals simple and effective. Of course you can customize them to your unique needs. Everything you need to plan a successful event is included within the following pages!

Who?

Our church community as well as neighbors and friends.

While we have people who are signing up to attend, you are also welcome to invite those you know who live near you and include them.

Tell us about your Meal

First, please communicate your dates, times, and capacity so that we may make them available. However, we will not share your address publicly.

Host a Meal Form

Invite others

Secondly, make a list of those you would want to invite that you may already know.
Consider having them fill out the form for your meal’s event in the app. If the person you’re inviting is not part of our church, you can fill out the form for them. This will allow the form’s responses to accurately reflect who is attending your event.

Communication Reminders

Make sure to communicate your date, time and expectations for the meal with those you are inviting as well as with those who have signed up to attend.

Send reminders so families don’t forget! Consider using Signup Genius, Eventbrite or Facebook to make it easy and convenient. You can also use email or texts.

Dietary Needs

Make sure to ask guests if they have food allergies or dietary restrictions so that you can make that need known and encourage them to bring something that they can eat.

What?

Every Community Meal follows a basic agenda of food, fun and conversation. Our plan is to have basic potlucks, where it is bring and share. Whether you ask everyone attending to bring a dish to contribute to the meal, or you provide a main dish item for everyone and ask people to round out the Meal with paper goods, beverages and side dishes, a potluck model is a smart way to work within a limited budget.

If you want to cook for your Community Meal, you are welcome to do so, but it is not expected. You can cook for the whole group or you can ask folks to bring certain items and you cook as a group. Totally up to you as long as clear communication happens with guests.

You can also choose a food theme to communicate to everyone and ask that they bring something to share to support that theme. You could even ask people to bring specific items.

Or you can just go with true potluck style, where you ask everyone to bring a main or side or dessert and see what you end up with. That can be fun!

When? Where?

A Community Meal doesn’t have to be a “Meal” at all; you could make it a breakfast or picnic lunch if that works best! Plan to have guests there for about 2 hours.

How?

We’ve got all the resources you need to help you pull off a great event!

Community Meal Checklist

2 weeks before the event

Invite families.
- Tip: be sure to ask about food allergies (also on sign up forms)
Ask 1 or 2 people you are inviting to help you prep.

1 week before the event:

Determine your menu or food theme for the evening if you have one.
- Tip: Italian, Asian, American, Mexican? If you are cooking, we have found that tacos work well - put together “assembly line” style.
Start to think about room set-up.
Schedule the evening.
- Tip: It’s helpful to have a clear plan for the night, but be prepared for things to go differently. With many families in one room, flexibility is key.
Reach out to those who will be attending the event
- Tip: Tell them how excited you are for the event and ask them if they have any questions or concerns about the evening. Let them know your address and any parking directions.
- Tip: Make sure everyone knows times, dates, expectations, and any other logistics that are necessary for the event. Go over the schedule so everyone is on the same page.

Day before event:

Finalize food plans.
Tip: Check in with everyone to make sure that everything is ready for tomorrow.
Review the agenda or flow of the evening. See below for an example!

1 day after event:

Send people a thank you email. In this thank you email, be sure to invite them to your next community meal!
Send Jennis (jennis@everynationseattle.org) a copy of your sign-in sheet and final head count.
Tip: If you have any pictures or great anecdotes from the event, you should share them with our team as well so they can publicize your work!

Item Checklist

Tables
Chairs or seating arrangements
Sign in sheet:
- Name, email, phone number
Dishes, glassware, silverware:
- Real dishes make a meal special, but paper is just fine too.
Cups
Beverages
Serving utensils and dish ware:
- Be sure to think through what you might need.
Napkins:
- Cloth or paper, just be sure you have them!
Salt & pepper shakers
Pens & name tags:
- A great habit to get into at the beginning of the night is to hand out name tags, so everyone can get to know each other!

Sample Agenda

6-6:30 PM - People arrive and begin to connect. We suggest having drinks and perhaps some appetizers ready for folks to snack on.
6:30 PM - Facilitator welcomes everyone to the event and prays for the food and time of getting to know each other, and gives any directions for eating, location of bathrooms, etc.
- Explain goal of getting to know one another and the use of conversation starters at the table. You may want to pick the questions you want to ask that night - 3 top ones is suggested.
6:30-7:30 PM - Everyone eats Meal.
7:30-8:30PM - Meal Games or choose games to play.
8:30 PM - Wrap-up and thanks. Be sure to invite your guests to your next community meal!
Total Time: 2 hours

"Help... What do we talk about?"

As anyone who’s ever struggled with “How was your day?...Fine...” knows, conversation starters are a crucial part of setting the scene for a great shared meal. Keep the awkward silences and one-word answers at bay.

Print these suggested conversation starters and place them in jars on the dining tables or you can choose several questions to use over your Meal. We encourage picking your top 3 questions for the evening and working through them.

Conversation starters

Get to know you

How long have you been a part of Every Nation?
How did you find us?
How has your experience been?
What are you hoping for this year?
Where do you want to grow most?

Spiritual Get to know you

What’s your spiritual background?
How was that for you?
Where are you now spiritually speaking?
What’s your experience with Christianity?
How was that for you?
How is that going now?
Where you do you want to grow most in your life?

Light and Fun Get to know you

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
What’s something you couldn’t do when you were younger that you can do now?
If you had superpowers, what would they be and how would you use them to help people?
What’s one fun thing you hope to do in the next year?
Who is your favorite character from a book, movie, or TV show?
If you could be an animal, what would you want to be? Why?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you want to live? Why?
If you could have a character from a book, movie, or TV show as a best friend, who would it be? Why?
What are three things that you’re good at doing that took a lot of hard work and practice?
What is the greatest song ever written and why?
Do you have a favorite piece of clothing? What makes it special?
What is your favorite season? What do you like about it?

Light and Fun Get to know you (cont.)

If you were a season, which season would you be and why?
Tell a story about how you got your name. What does it mean to be brave?
What do you love most about summer? What is your favorite type of weather? Who is the funniest person you know?
Do you think it’s possible to change one’s self? How have you changed over the years/decades?
“After being in Harry Potter, I believe a bit more in magic than I did before,” said the actor who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies. Do you believe in magic? If yes, explain your answer.
Do you think it’s possible to change the world? Why or why not?
What do you think are the ideal characteristics for a life partner or spouse?
How does someone act when they are “in love”? (You can use a real person or a book/movie character as an example).
Steven Spielberg is quoted as saying, “All of us every single year, we’re a different person. I don’t think we’re the same person all our lives.” Do you agree?

To Keep the Fun Flowing

Fun might be the most important ingredient for a successful Community Meal! Food brings people to the table, but fun is the thing that keeps them there -- and makes them want to share a meal with others again and again.

Before or during the meal:

Print these simple table games and put them on the tables, so families can try them out during your event.

Table Games