Who We Are
Open Table Mennonite Fellowship welcomes every individual as a unique and beloved child of God, the Source of life and love. With the Holy Spirit as our guide, we attempt to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Rooted in the Anabaptist/ Mennonite tradition, yet open to insights from other faith traditions, we seek to join God’s plan for healing the earth and bringing peace and justice to its people.
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Leadership and Discernment |
Our congregational life values everyone’s voice, and our diversity of voices. We have a part-time pastor/doula, whose voice is still just one among ours. Leadership is shared, and all significant decisions are made by consensus in monthly discernment meetings.
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Worship
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Our worship also values participation by many. Each service is hosted by a different worship leader, and we create our sermon together through interacting with scripture, inward reflection, and sharing. Each service concludes with Jesus’ invitation to the bread and cup and the sharing of a simple fellowship meal together.
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Growth |
The face-to-face nature of our worship circle allows all to be known by name. We want to create a safe place for questions and honest mutual engagement, where we can discern together what the good news of Jesus means in our context. We also want to welcome newcomers. We are exploring ways of budding new worship circles to welcome growth while also maintaining a small inter-generational worship experience.
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Ministry |
We support individuals’ calls and involvement in a variety of settings, both at Open Table and in the broader community. We want to help each other find a life-giving balance as we carry out our calls and our responsibilities.
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Nurture |
We strive to be an open and welcoming community where God’s love transcends all barriers that oppress and exclude people. Mid-week small groups are one way we encourage, support, and hold each other accountable to live out our faith throughout the week. Children are a valuable part of our community and we are committed to working with families to tailor the ways we involve children in worship and help with their Christian formation.
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Affiliations
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Open Table values the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the church and is a member of Supportive Communities Network, a network of Mennonite and Brethren congregations.
Open Table values our Anabaptist/Mennonite heritage and is a member of Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA. |