Women's Suppers: Full stomachs, full hearts
Y’all, I campaigned hard for another round of Women’s Suppers—they’re one of my favorite things we do. Whether you’ve been with City Church since the beginning or have just started attending, I hope you’ll consider signing up because these dinners are so full of joy and laughter and community and reallllly good food. I’d love to share two of my experiences with women’s suppers to help illustrate to you why I love them so much.
My first dinner was right after I started coming to City Church. I was new to Richmond, balancing the demands of grad school, and pretty lonely, honestly. A new friend from church invited me to the dinner she was hosting at her house, and I gratefully accepted. I loved the intimate atmosphere of a meal where I didn’t have to try to inch my way into a conversation with strangers, but instead could sit around a table small enough to engage with women who came expressly for the purpose of developing community. It catalyzed a feeling of being at home at City Church, even as a new attendee; suddenly I had new friends to sit with on Sundays and meet for coffee during the week.
Fast-forward a couple years: I became a member and City Church became my family. Although I was pretty plugged in by now, this time at Women’s Supper, I was able to get to know women I had seen at church every week but had never met. We laughed about homeschooling experiences and oo-ed and ahh-ed over Liz Thomson’s black bean and corn salsa. I loved the chance to meet women from different stages of life, from a soon-to-be college graduate to a mom of three. It can be a rare opportunity, but the warm and welcoming atmosphere of Caitlin Wise’s home immediately reminded us of what we have in common.
Shauna Niequist writes in her book Bread and Wine, “The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It's about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment.” Each table was a safe zone—a place where I felt valued and loved and a part of the City Church family. It’s the perfect opportunity to invite a friend who might still be wary of going to church, giving them the chance to be nourished by delicious food and intentional friendship. My prayer is that you’ll find the warmth and love I experienced as both a newcomer and an established member at these Women’s Suppers and that, like me, you’ll leave with a full stomach and a full heart.
Our spring Women’s Suppers will take place on Friday, April 12th in a number of different homes. Each host will provide a main course; attendees are asked to bring a side or drinks to share. Please RSVP HERE—and contact Sarah Minucci (sarah.minucci@gmail.com) with questions.