*Due to some scheduling conflicts we have canceled this Supper Church. See you next time!
All are welcome and encouraged to come, including families and children.
The service will consist of music, a short scripture reading and message, and time for discussion.
The guided-question discussion that will follow the message and scripture reading is intended to foster a better understanding and fellowship among those who attend. Children who join us are welcome to participate in the discussion or play at a table with crafts for entertainment.
Throughout the evening food will be shared as we grow together in our faith and pursuit of better relationships with each other and God.
This event is free and all are welcome.
The message from our first Supper Church, July 2019:
Supper Church FAQ
Why come to PUMC Supper Church?
Do you want to belong to a community? Do you work on Sundays, go out of town, or need to have a true Sabbath? Then Supper Church is for you! This is a Thursday night Dinner Church where EVERYONE BELONGS – truly – gay, straight, wealthy, struggling, single, married, with children, without, every shade in our world – EVERYONE IS WELCOME AND EVERYONE BELONGS. You will feel it when you come to dinner.
What do we do at Dinner Church?
We sing a few songs, serve ourselves dinner, talk with the folks at our table, hear the Scripture and talk about it, hear a message about that Scripture and what it means to us, and then we pray for each other and those we hold dear.
Can I come?
YES! We are an open and affirming church that welcomes all who seek to know God. We respect, support, and lovingly encourage people of every race, ethnicity, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical and mental ability to join us on our journey of faith. ALL PEOPLE ARE WELCOME HERE.
We welcome and honor those of all faith traditions. While many of us at Supper Church are followers of Jesus, we see the beauty of God’s image in every person who joins us. We also believe that each of our perspectives are enhanced and enriched when we can listen and learn from those of other faith traditions or no tradition at all. There is a place at God’s table for all people, at any point on your spiritual journey. At PUMC, we trust that the practice of eating, praying, and singing together moves us deeper into faith.
I’d like to come! Should I just show up?
Yes, you can just show up at any of our worship services.
Feel free to come as you are, in casual clothes or straight from work.
If you like you can write us in advance at info@peterboroughumc.org and we’ll be ready to welcome you.
What can I expect?
We begin with Chips and Chat at 5:30, people just chat and relax. You can arrive late, as you are. At 6 pm we begin with a welcome. There is no printed bulletin or hymnals. We sing a couple simple songs, feel free to sing badly or skip the words you don’t know. We have a short communion with bread (we do have gluten-free) that you are welcome to participate in or abstain from. We share our Joys and Concerns. The kids lead us in grace and then we all get our food. Kids can eat with their family or sit together. Kids can make noise, get up and walk around, be kids. We eat while our Message Leader and Readers share scripture and a 5-minute message. Then we are all given some discussion questions to start a conversation. Everyone eats and talks for about 20 minutes. To close the meal we have communion with juice. The Message Leader has a moment to share church updates, then we sing another song. We end with a blessing and the Lord’s Prayer, no worries if you don’t know it. There is no offering, you can make a donation online or in the donation box, or just leave some pleasant company and time well spent. We expect to have our supper done by 7:30 and you can head home with a happy heart.
Do I need to pay for my dinner?
No, Supper Church is free of charge to all who attend. You may make a donation if you wish, there is a donation box, but please feel no obligation to do so. The generosity of those who regularly attend Supper Church makes each of our gatherings possible.
How can I make a donation to Supper Church?
You can make a cash donation, or write a check out to Peterborough United Methodist Church. You can also donate online. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so your donation is tax-deductible.
Should I bring something for dinner?
There’s no need to bring food with you. If you would like to bring a dessert or flowers they would be welcomed. Email Melissa at info@peterboroughumc.org if you have questions about what to bring or the food we serve.
I’m a vegetarian and/or gluten free. Will there be something for me to eat?
Yes! When we serve meat, we make sure to also provide a vegetarian option. If you have any allergies, dietary restrictions or other preferences, please let us know ahead of time by sending a message below and we’ll do all we can to have something for you.
Do you do communion during Supper Church?
We do have communion, or we may have a love feast. A love feast is what the churches used to do when the circuit riders didn’t always make it to the church for Sunday. All are welcome at our communion, but you are free to abstain.
We do offer gluten-free bread, as well as cranberry juice, for those with dietary restrictions.
Is PUMC wheelchair accessible?
The building and fellowship hall are wheelchair accessible. We have an ADA approved bathroom. The only areas of the building that are not wheelchair accessible are the small bathroom and the balcony.
Is your service sensory-friendly?
We do not use the overhead lights during our service, just some cafe bulbs and led candles.
There will be the smells of food.
There will be a lot of people and it will get loud and warm.
We use a microphone and speaker for our leaders.
You are welcome to get up and move around.
If you need a quiet space or to take a break the sanctuary is located through the door towards the road, opposite the kitchen and hallway.
If you need to leave you are welcome to do so.
You are welcome to bring our own headphones, fidget toys, sketchbook, or other comfort items to the service.
Guests are welcome to use any mobile device for communication or comfort in the church.
I have children. Can they come with me?
Most definitely! In fact, we’ve designed our gatherings so that you’ll be able to enjoy the evening with your children. We encourage children to participate in our discussions. We have Busy Bags available and a kids table for little wigglers. Your children are welcome to make noise, walk around, and otherwise be children during the service.
When do we meet and for how long?
You may arrive at 5:30 for chips, salsa, and chatting, or if you would like to help us get ready. We meet Thursday night at 6:00 p.m (*future schedule to be determined). The whole dinner church lasts until about 7:30 p.m. If you can stay and help clean up, super. If you need to get home to put babies to bed or do homework, that’s ok too.
Tell me more about your denomination.
We are United Methodist which is a Protestant denomination. John Wesley started the Methodist Church in the late 1700s. The United Methodist Church is similar to other Christian Churches. What sets us apart is our focus on Grace. John Wesley preached about the Means of Grace – the Sacraments: Holy Communion and Holy Baptism; and the Ways of Grace: Prevenient Grace (God within you before you know God’s there), Justifying Grace (when you recognize Jesus as the Christ and believe in him), and Sanctifying Grace (the journey to become more like Jesus – more loving, kind, gentle, patient, forgiving.) We will never be perfect like Jesus was, but we are called to be on this journey to try. What that means is that because God loves us, we want to know more about God, in knowing more about God, we want to be grow to be like God – humble and loving and full of grace.