“‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So Jesus went to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” (Luke 24:29-31)

Every Sunday evening at 6:30 pm 7 Howe comes alive. Heat is turned on. Curtains are drawn. In the kitchen, dinner is prepared by able hands, and the door is opened. We arrive from different locations, for different reasons, and hopefully with a sense that something’s going on here, even if we can’t quite put our finger on what it is. I think it has something to do with food.

There’s a whole lot of eating in the Bible. Obvious examples include the Passover meal, Jesus’ fish-n-chips picnic on the lawn for five thousand, the Last Supper, two post-resurrection meals—one with his Emmaeus road friends, the other a breakfast on the beach with his disciples.

In October of ’06 we set a table, opened the doors, and invited people to join our College Age Fellowship. Immediately following the 5:00 worship service, where the Lord’s Supper is served each week, our invitation was for folks to gather around another common meal, experience fellowship, and connect with the Bethany family. Since that time, new faces have become familiar friends, and an empty house has become a warm and welcoming home.

Whether we’re eating, washing dishes, playing games, watching movies, or sharing the stories of our lives, God is somehow present. We recently responded to the question, “What is one path that you are currently journeying down, and how would you like God to meet you along the way?”It was clear that each of our paths was unique, with different joys and sorrows, gains and losses. But on these Emmaeus roads we do not travel alone, nor do we travel hungry. We gather as fellow travelers, receiving the Bread of Life and food for the journey.

I have the sense that something is going on at 7 Howe on Sunday evenings. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think it has something to do with Jesus.