We Gather at This Table: A Book Review

By guest blogger Gloria Burgess

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 
1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Explaining that to a child can be a daunting task.

We Gather at This Table from Church Publishing Incorporated explores why we celebrate the Eucharist. The bright, vibrant illustrations by Peter Kruger will engage children and adults alike; the message as told by Anna V. Ostenso Moore will help answer the question of why do we do this, this celebration of Jesus’ life. Like many rituals during a church service it may be difficult to put into words the reason for the action.

Explaining the meaning of Communion, Holy Eucharist, or Mass can be a challenge for the adults in a child’s life. You may feel you do not have the correct words; you might say the wrong thing. Having a story that explains the reason and the breadth of the ritual will give you a starting place when your child asks: Why? Why bread? Why wine? Ostenso Moore easily reminds us it is to remember God is with us, seen and unseen, to share the sacred story. This book goes one step further than the ritual within your house of worship and takes it to include the neighborhood where you live, the people you know and the ones you don’t.

The book also offers a family selection and suggests ways to add this ritual into your own family worship style (even though it is written in the style of Episcopal liturgy) and will make a great addition to any child’s library. For a grandparent, parent, or godparent this would be a nice addition to any gift giving occasion.

The addition of a Worship Engagement Suggestion gives ideas on how to bring a child into the church service and how to show and tell what a church service with that special child can be. The book ends with a listing of bible verses that were used to inspire the book illustrations. Have fun matching the stories with the illustrations!

A PDF review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.