Words of Welcome

Prayer

Dear God, we thank you for this meal and the joy of sharing it with friends. We ask that you bless this food to nourish our bodies and conversations to uplift our spirits. May our time together be filled with laughter, love, and meaningful connection. We are grateful for your presence in our lives and for the gift of community. Amen.

GRAB FOOD AND START TO EAT

If there is someone you don’t recognize at your table Introduce yourself:

  1. Name and Pronouns

  2. What do you do full time? Work, school, etc. and what do you do/study?

  3. If you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be?

Thoughts from Pastor Alexis

“The miracle of birthdays”

 

SCRIPTURE

PSALM 139:13-17 (CEB)

13 You are the one who created my innermost parts;
    you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb.
14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.
    Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.
15 My bones weren’t hidden from you
    when I was being put together in a secret place,
    when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my embryo,
    and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me,
    before any one of them had yet happened.
17 God, your plans are incomprehensible to me!
    Their total number is countless!

Which can be summarized as…

"Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" -Dr. Seuss

Questions:

  1. Are you a fan of birthdays? Do they make you uncomfortable or do you thrive on your birthday? Why or why not?

  2. Why do you think birthdays evoke such extreme emotions in people? Either positive or negative!

  3. From the perspective of creator/parent, what would you say to the created/child who hates birthdays?

  4. Share a story of your favorite birthday.

Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

REMEMBER - YOU ARE A GIFT!

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