As Colorado celebrates 150 years as the Centennial State, there is a movement for individuals and organizations to set 150 Tables Across Colorado. By encouraging people to come together to share a meal, seeds of connection and compassion are planted in the communities of Colorado. The table movement is coordinated by local nonprofit Longer Tables, which focuses on bringing together cities, neighborhoods, organizations, and individuals at longer tables. 

Providing food for those in need is a universal practice of those who follow the way of Jesus. From the very first expressions of the Church in the first century to every expression of the Church across continents and cultures today, providing food is a tangible practice of loving your neighbor. “The one thing I think it's impossible to get away from is Jesus' command to care for the person who is not like you and who is close to you. I think that is the best definition of neighbor, right?” says Alex Walton, Lead Pastor of South Fellowship, with a grin and an engaging English accent.  

Friendsgiving is an invitation to a shared meal and a shared sense of belonging. It is a way to enter the holidays with a sense of presence in the present, and a gracious opportunity to set down any heavy expectations of family past or ideal futures. For Alyssa and Andraé Alexander, it has become as much an expression of Thanksgiving as the day itself. Friendsgiving is a generous and gracious invitation to hospitality, food, and friendship.

My family and I joined Monroe Organic Farms’ CSA this past year. Each week, Monroe would drop off a handful of shares at a neighbor’s home, and everyone would come by to pick up their vegetables. Along with getting big bags of beautiful produce each week, I got to know the Monroe family more deeply, along with Mary Ann, my neighbor, who sat in her garage for two hours every week distributing the farm shares.

Our family first joined a community garden when our kids were in elementary school. At the time, we didn’t know much about growing food, and we lived in a townhome with a small shady yard that had yielded two seasons of disappointment. We quickly discovered that gardening in the company of others gave us access to a wealth of knowledge and opportunity. Alongside neighbors—many of whom we might not have met otherwise—we dug, planted, watered, and weeded, and slowly learned the rhythm of life in the garden.

It was a bright and chilly Sunday morning in December when my daughter and I waited silently with coffee and mimosas ready on the kitchen counter. We were uncertain if anyone would walk through our door for the first Holly Street Holiday Brunch.

Hundreds of pancakes are served at the Gilley house every other Tuesday morning before students leave for Arapahoe High School. It began for Jill Gilley with a simple question, “What if?”

The practice of planting a garden is an embodied way to engage both the people and place where you live. It is a practice of forgiveness and gratitude. It is an invitation to be present and patient. It is an opportunity to slowly walk and see what is growing.

We must know our neighbors to love our neighbors. Only in doing life together do we make visible the heart of Jesus to our neighbors. Coffee Friday might be the practice for you to get to know your neighbors. Or, replace coffee with something else that might unite your neighbors. I bet on coffee.

A lemonade stand is a nostalgic way to connect with neighbors. It is a playful summer practice to be present in your neighborhood.

Street Dinners is an everyday practice. It has a low entry barrier to connect with your neighbors. We’re grateful to Jocelyn for sharing this practice with us. We want to learn from your practices too. Please share them with us! We look forward to sharing them with you.

Practice being in the front yard. Begin the weekend with a cup of coffee, or enjoy happy hour to celebrate the end of the workday, in the front yard. Place a picnic table, or an extra chair, in the front yard as an invitation for your neighbors to join.