EAT PLAY PRAY
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Common Tables: Small Group @ NewSong
registration open for 2024-2025
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If you are new to our community and curious about Common Tables, please reach out to community@ournewsong.org to find out more about how to connect to a small group.
Common Tables are core community groups that focus on friendship and transformational connection. These meet with consistent regularity. These groups are organized by life season and/or zip code. Common Tables are our primary small group context. This year, we will focus on eating, praying, and playing together rather than the traditional focus on the Sermon Series or Takeout content. Groups will range from 6-8 people (this number excludes children), with two additional "slots" for people who want to join a Common Table throughout the year.
Tables will meet every first, second, and third week of the month, and are invited to take a break from meeting on fourth weeks. Each week will have a particular focus (*EAT, PRAY, PLAY) but we encourage your table group to participate in eating, playing, AND praying each time you meet. For example, on an EAT week, your table group could focus on contributing to and enjoying a meal together, reciting A Liturgy for Feasting with Friends before the meal, and playing a game during or after the meal. On a PRAY week, your table group could meet at a coffee shop during the church-wide HOLY HOUR and begin your time of prayer by reciting A Liturgy for the Ritual of Morning Coffee. If attending the church-wide HOLY HOUR at 6am is not possible OR if meeting three weeks in a row is particularly stretching for your Common Table, we invite you to meet at your regularly scheduled time and/or participate in your own individual HOLY HOUR! On a PLAY week, your table group could meet up to play pickle ball together with snacks and recite A Liturgy for Those Who Compete. We hope these examples inspire your own unique expression of EAT, PRAY, PLAY!
First weeks will focus on eating together (gathering around a table, enjoying a meal prepared/contributed to by all or served at a restaurant). *Second weeks will focus on praying together (participating in the church-wide HOLY HOUR or meeting at your regular weekly time). If meeting three weeks feels particularly stretching for your group, we invite you to take a break from meeting this week and take time to pray on your own. Third weeks will focus on playing together (enjoying life-giving, fun, imaginative activities with one another). Fourth weeks are an intentional break in the schedule, a time to rest and prepare for your next meeting as a table!
*Please note the change in rotation!
see below for FAQs on hosting/initiating!
Fall/Winter 2024 Schedule
(October - December 2024 )
Week of October 6 — EAT
Week of October 13 — PRAY
Week of October 20 — PLAY
Week of October 27 — OFF
Week of November 3 — EAT
Week of November 10 — PRAY
Week of November 17 — PLAY
Week of November 24 — OFF
Week of December 1 — EAT
Week of December — 8 PRAY
Week of December — 15 PLAY
Week of December 22, 29 — OFF
Winter/Spring 2025 Schedule
(January - May 2025)
Week of January 5 — EAT
Week of January 12 — PRAY
Week of January 19 — PLAY
Week of January 26 — OFF
Week of February 2 — EAT
Week of February 9 — PRAY
Week of February 16 — PLAY
Week of February 23 — OFF
Week of March 2 — EAT
Week of March 9 — PRAY
Week of March 16 — PLAY
Week of March 23 — OFF
Week of April 1 — EAT
Week of April 6 — PRAY
Week of April 13 — PLAY
Week of April 20, 27 — OFF
Week of May 4 — EAT
Week of May 11 — PRAY
Week of May 28 — PLAY
Week of May 25 — OFF (done!)
We will list areas below shortly. These are general gathering points for our community, specific locations will be provided in september.
FAQs
Q: What is an initiator?
A: As an initiator, we ask you to be a welcoming presence and to initiate fellowship & joy rather than teach in the eat, play, and pray spaces with your table group. As attendees grow in comfortability, they are encouraged to initiate as well!
Q: What does it look like to host a Common Table?
A: As a host, we ask you to provide or coordinate a gathering space for your Common Table to meet.
Q: How do initiators and hosts work together?
A: Tables are always PARTNERSHIPS between the initiator and the host so no one person feels the weight of the group. Our hope is also that attendees would become equal participants and initiators (i.e. everyone brings a dish to contribute to the meal; the person rotates who suggests and/or initiates the playful activity; the person rotates who writes, finds or reads the prayer).
Q: I've never initiated or hosted (or attended) a Common Table (or I have in a past season) - will someone tell me how to or am I expected to figure it out on my own?
A: Mark your calendars & bring your families for a Common Tables Initiator/Host Workshop on September 8th at 12:45pm! We'll talk through details, expectations, and experience what a Common Table could look like.
Q: How are groups assigned?
A: Common Tables are organized by life season and/or zip code. Groups will range from 6-8 people (this number excludes children), with two additional "slots" for people who want to join a Common Table throughout the year.