Some of my fondest memories include gathering around Granny’s kitchen table after everyone had eaten. Around that kitchen table, my mom, aunts and grandmother shared joys, sorrows, laughter and tears. Around that table, they supported and encouraged each other.
As a young mother, it was around that table that I received advice – sometimes unsolicited – but always with love. When my oldest was leaving home, my mom couldn’t understand why it was so hard for me. It was at that kitchen table that one of my aunts reached out her hand and said, “I get it.”
As Women of the ELCA, we also gather around tables. Our tables are not always “kitchen tables.” Often they are tables in a fellowship hall or Sunday school classroom, a restaurant or a coffee table in someone’s living room. We even use social media as a virtual table.
Whatever the reason for us to gather around a table today, we share our joys, our heartaches, our concerns, like we did at my grandmother’s table. We offer and receive understanding, encouragement, support, acceptance. As important as the ministries we support, this love for one another is among the most essential.
This message is excerpted from “We are sisters gathering at table” by Phyllis Wade from the May 11, 2017, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
Copyright © 2025 Women of the ELCA. Inquiries for permission to reproduce should be directed to [email protected]. If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.