Rituals and traditions give structure and meaning to our time together. Whether it’s pausing to say grace together, sharing a toast, playing a silly game, or rehearsing the True Story, these shared acts remind us that our time together is marked and sacred. Shared and specific actions anchor us in a larger story and help us remember why we came together in the first place. Sometimes our customs are curated with precision and other times they develop over time and we hardly notice them- until new people join the community.
One of the customs we practice with our missional community (and family) is no phones at the table. People walk in and leave their phones in the “phone graveyard” a box we’ve got by the front door before heading to the table. This reminds the entire community that while our lives away from the table matter greatly, the people at this table are the ones we are paying attention to in this moment. The shared meal and the shared story that forms us is worth our attention and so we’ve developed a custom of simply leaving our phones by the door.
I’d encourage you to take an inventory with your leadership team and see what customs you have that are helpful and if there are any that need to be repented of!
Consider what small traditions you can incorporate into your gatherings.
Throwing parties for meaningful moments in personal or communal life.
Greet new people to the community first rather than last when you enter a room.
Sending a text to yourself at the end of a training to remember what you want to take with you.
Everyone brings an ingredient or dish for the meal.
Lighting a candle to symbolize the Spirit’s presence.
A shared prayer before meals that is consistent and communal.
These acts don’t have to be elaborate; they just need to be intentional and explained to those in attendance. There’s few things more intimidating to a new person in a community than a shared action that everyone else is doing, but is not explained to them.
Questions to Keep Processing
What customs have you intentionally or unintentionally developed as a community? What do they say about God and his kingdom?
Are there any common practices you already have that need explaining to newer community members?
Are there any gaps in your community that could be served by a purposeful custom your initiate and explain for everyone?
Do our customs create unnecessary barriers for people who want to participate in our community?