Gather Around The Table
I have been giving a lot of thought to the direction I want to take in 2026. I have considered several different directions, but God has shown me a new path and a new challenge. That challenge...is unity! If there is one thing this world needs, it is unity!
There are so many unseen forces pulling us apart...it's time we come together and heal.
After celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas, I realized that food and fellowship are among the most common things that draw us together, forming unity, a place of belonging, and a safe space where we are loved and accepted.
Think about the Christmas parties you attended this year...what do you remember the most? The food, the fun, and the fellowship!
When you planned your Thanksgiving gathering, what was the first thing you planned? The guest list, the food, the fun, the fellowship.
The Bible is full of scripture concerning gathering over food and enjoying sweet fellowship with one another.
I'm not sure where this new adventure will lead, but I will sit in the passenger seat and watch as God unfolds this new path He's sending me down!
Join me as we follow His leading in 2026.
Gathering around the table has always been an important part of life. Playing games, sharing a meal, or doing a fun family activity can bring friends and family closer together, creating special moments and memories.
The significance of fellowship around food is mentioned often in the scriptures. However, gathering around the table is not just about the food...in fact, what is on the table is not the most important thing...it's the relationships that are built around it.
In the past, the diningroom/kitchen table was a gathering place. A place where families came together, blessed their meal, and enjoyed time together. It was a time of fellowship and connections. Something that families are lacking in our day and time.
No matter how busy families were, they gathered around the kitchen table at least once a day.
Now, sadly, many have forgotten the importance of gathering together. The family table has been reserved for special occasions...such as Christmas and Thanksgiving.
In our home, we have a 9' oak table that we purchased in 1995. This table has been host to many family meals, family gatherings, and friend nights.
When we remodeled our kitchen and dining room, the one thing I insisted on keeping was our table. It has a scar from when my husband and son dripped super glue on it while putting together an AWANA derby car. It has marker stains from where our children and grandchildren created masterpieces. I have cut out patterns to sew on that table and assembled many VBS and Sunday school crafts on it.
In the summer, it is often covered with fresh veggies from my garden, and in the winter, it's where my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have created and decorated tons of candy and cookies.
It's where friends have gathered to play games, cards, plan trips, or simply spend time in sweet fellowship. It has hosted many Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving meals, and many who have sat around this table are no longer with us.
It's where Pastor Kenna from Haiti sat late into the night having Bible study with my husband and me. It is where trips were planned, dreams were dreamed, and memories were made.
Gatherings around the kitchen table have become a faded memory for many. Now is the time to give the kitchen/dining room table its rightful place in our homes...and in our families.
Tomorrow, I will add the first of my "Gather Around the Table" activities! Each month, I will post a "Gather around the table" family fun day, a "Gather around the table" children's activity, and a "Gather around the table" church/family event. Along with all my regular posts.
Tomorrow will be my first family fun day post! I hope you hang around for what God is slowly revealing to me!
I will be honest...I haven't a clue what lies ahead...but here I am...SteppingOut once again for whatever God has for me!
Gather around the Table: January Family Fun Day - "Pencil Me In"
To encourage participation, purchase a large roll of white paper, cut it into 12' lengths, roll each 12' length of paper up, wrap a family fun day page around it, and secure with a ribbon. Hand out one to each family.
“Unity”
Gather Around The Table
Promote family, fellowship, and fun!
Engaging activities around the table can strengthen family bonds, enrich friendships, and foster fellowship, ultimately creating unity and lasting memories.
With all the activities, schedules, and obligations, it can be hard to initiate a family mealtime together; however, gathering around the table for “family time” can be a stepping stone towards uniting your family around the dinner table.
Our goal for 2026 is “Unity”: Gather Around the Table. Each week, a new activity will be sent home to help promote unity with your family, friends, and church...and it’s all centered around the table.
January Challenge - PENCIL ME IN!
It’s time to plan your 2026 family calendar of events!
Make it a family event!
Purchase a long roll of white or brown paper. Gather pencils,
pens, highlighters, stickers, rulers...whatever you choose!
Gather around the table, roll out your paper, draw out your 12 months,
and start creating your 2026 “Family” calendar.
Note: Your calendar doesn’t have to be perfect...allow little hands to help.
Leave an open “ideas” space at the front or the end of your paper roll to jot
down ideas when finished.
As a family, discuss the events you already have planned and add them to your calendar (vacations, spring break, summer break, etc.)
Discuss and “pencil in” a couple of family activities for January.
Decorate your calendar with stickers, markers, highlighters, etc.
When finished, make some popcorn (treats) to enjoy while discussing new ideas and adding them to the blank “ideas” space you left at the front or end of your roll. Give everyone a voice.
Don’t schedule events too far in advance...schedules do change, and children will be disappointed.
Hint: Creating a square cardboard template (in advance) will help with spacing out your 12 months.
Remember to add a date for your next (February) family calendar scheduling day.
Revisit your family's ideas and add new ideas to your list.
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Musical Chairs Bingo
Church Wide or Children's Event
"Gather around the table"
It's Musical Chairs Bingo Night!
The perfect church-wide or children's only event!
Object: Building New Friendships!
Musical Chairs Bingo is played the same as regular Bingo, with one twist! Each time a person Bingo's, the players will switch to a new table that they have not been to before, with new people they have not sat with that evening.
Select one person per table to serve as a moderator (do this in advance, if possible). Choose individuals who are outgoing and good at socializing. You can either provide topics for the moderators or allow them to choose their own.
Having a "conversation starter" jar in the center of the table is also a great idea. Or, a "twists" jar with various fun things to do.
The moderators will remain at their table for the entire evening and will initiate the conversation each time a new group visits their table.
You choose the rules. Table rotation can be after each round of bingo, after 2 or 3 rounds, or after a round of blackout has been played. Allow plenty of time for your players to meet one another, but not so much time that the event becomes boring.
Placing a numbered centerpiece in the center of each table would be a great touch to keep each person on track with which table they have visited.
Once the rotation takes place, give the players a couple of minutes to settle into their new table, introduce themselves, and allow the moderator to start up a conversation. Again, allow a little time for them to meet one another, but not so much time that the event becomes boring.
Gag prizes are a fun addition. The funnier the better. You can provide the gag gifts or ask everyone to bring one each to add to your collection.
Music in the background would be a nice added touch as long as everyone can hear the BINGO numbers being called.
Take a break for snacks! Popcorn or finger snacks are perfect!
Add as many twists and fun surprises as you wish! You may choose to have the winner of each round perform a funny stunt, introduce themselves, tell an interesting fact about themselves, etc.
The goal is for everyone to have a great evening and to leave the event knowing a few new people that you didn't know before.
Friendship building with lots of laughter!
Oodles of Doodles! Making the Bible Come Alive!
Cover several folding tables with brown or white paper (enough seats for all of your class). Secure the paper with tape.
Draw a doodle on the paper (one at each seat).
As you teach your lesson, allow the children to fill in the doodles with things that they hear. (See a doodle sample and the completed doodle below.)
When the lesson is over, allow the children time get creative with their doodles. They can add more lesson details, draw random designs inside any doodle that they didn't complete, or add onto their doodles to make them more appealing.
Go around the room and allow each child to discuss their doodle. Repetition will help instill the lesson even more.
You may award points for different elements that were included and give a prize to the person who added the most "lesson" details.
You can also award a prize for the best drawing, most creative, most colorful, etc.
Make sure to supply plenty of crayons, pencils, pens, markers, etc for the children to use while drawing.
Can you guess which lesson I chose for the sample below? Of course, Daniel in the Lions' Den. :)
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Celebrate National Sticker Day on January 13th...or any day of the year!
Gather around the table and create journals, thank you cards, prayer cards, or whatever you choose...using stickers! The sky is the limit!
Pick the sticker below to create your own stickers or use for your media needs!
Here are a few fun ideas to get you started! Share your sticker ideas with us in the comment section below!
Sticker Design Contest: Encourage students to design stickers that reflect "Sticking with Jesus." Print the winning design on sticker paper, cut it out, and give one to each child.
Sticker Scavenger Hunt: Hide stickers around the building and have the children search for them.
Sticker Journaling: Pass out a composition notebook to each child and allow your children to decorate their notebook/journals/planners with stickers. Encourage them to place a sticker in their journal each day and write one thing they’re thankful for...or a prayer.
Decorate cards with stickers and write short prayers or blessings to share with others.
Memory Verse Cards: Create "Bible Verse" cards with your verse for the week on it. Allow the children to decorate their card with stickers.
Sticker Thank-You Cards: Children decorate cards with stickers to thank church volunteers or family members.
Fun & Fellowship Games
Sticker Tag: Each child gets a sheet of stickers; they try to place stickers on others while avoiding getting tagged themselves.
Sticker Toss: Toss stickers (or sticker sheets) into baskets labeled with Bible themes—each basket represents a lesson or verse.
Sticker Memory Match: Create pairs of stickers with matching Bible symbols or characters for a memory game.
Sticker Treasure Hunt
Hide stickers around the room with clues or short Bible messages. Each sticker leads to the next clue until they find a “treasure” (like a small prize or treat).
Sticker Freeze Dance
Play worship music. When the music stops, call out a Bible theme (like “Faith” or “Love”). Kids with that word or symbol on their sticker stay in; others do a fun action to rejoin.
"Inspire Your Heart with Art"...where creativity meets the Creator!
Inspire hearts, praise our God, and earn money to send kids to camp (optional)!
This event would also make a great child/parent night. Each child/family can work on their art together, deciding together what they want to add to their masterpiece.
Give each child a canvas (if hosting a child/parent night, they still receive one canvas) and allow them to design whatever inspires their heart.
Set up supply tables with different art mediums (paint, brushes, construction paper, feathers, scissors, light weight cardboard scraps, crinkle cut scissors, crinkle rollers, collage (magazine) materials, small bits of fabric scraps, printed scripture verses, printed words..faith, hope, love etc...glue and water shelac, stencils, sticky letters, sticky foam shapes, crayons (and a way to melt them) anything you choose.
You can suggest a theme, such as creation, or allow your teams to choose a theme that resonates with their hearts.
Create a calm and peaceful environment with quiet praise music in the background.
Creative snacks, simple finger foods, or choose your own adventure snack trays would be a great addition to your laid-back evening.
Optional! Set up an art exhibit for the entire church on a different evening/day/Sunday morning, etc., and earn money for Children's Camp. Put the art up for grabs for any (silent) donation amount. Setting it up as a silent donation will keep children/parents from being discouraged if their piece does not earn a lot of $$. Make sure all pieces are picked up by someone...even if you have to purchase one or two yourself (Remember, the amount is secret so no one will know how much you drop in the box.)
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Build a Bigger Table
Did you know that long table events are the "thing" right now?
What a perfect way to build on our "Unity", Gather Around the Table theme, than a "Build a Bigger Table" friendship day!
Set up one table and add chairs to both sides. Add a colorful tablecloth and attach the headboard with double-sided tape. (template can be found on my website (free PDF).
Challenge the children to invite their friends and build a bigger table. Set goals for the children...if we fill 4 tables we will have a _____. If we will five tables we will ____ . etc.
Adding on is simple...Just make sure to have extra tablecloths, tables, and chairs nearby.
When all the children have arrived and the table is as long as it will be. Attach the footboard with two-sided tape. If you have a "real" small headboard and footboard, you can that as well.
Get creative, host any themed "unity" friendship day that you choose. PJ day, game day/night, etc.
Hint: Go to a party supply shop...or shop the party section at a Dollar Store. I once found LEGO tablecloths at the Dollar Store, which made for a perfect LEGO event. Everyone loves LEGO's, and they fit perfectly with our unity theme.
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Birds of a Feather Flock Together
Invite the men to "have a seat" at your table by hosting a Birds of a Feather flock together birdhouse building day.
Invite the men to drag out their tools and help the children build simple wooden birdhouses or any birdhouse you choose.
It's a great way to involve the men at your church with your children's ministry.
Both the children AND men enjoy this one! It's great fun and provides a father figure to children who do not have a father. Plus, it's a great way for the men to introduce a new skill to the children.
I promise, you won't be left out in the cold with this event!
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What's Cooking?
Invite the women to "have a seat" at your table by hosting a What's Cooking event.
Invite the ladies to drag out their kitchen gadgets and help the children cook/bake some delicious treats!
I have a Scripture Cookie recipe (CLICK HERE) that is so fun to create...and you have to use your Bible to figure out the ingredients! You can mix and bake your cookies at church or simply mix and take the batter home in a bag...encouraging parents to "have a seat at the table" as well. Bake cookies...or anything you choose. Or allow the ladies from your church to choose what they want to teach the children to cook/bake.
You can even make it a repeating event by inviting different ladies from your church to gather around the table and teach the children to cook/bake.
The sky's the limit ...What will you be cooking up?
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February Family Fun Day - Table Heart Art
Bring the family to the table!
Encourage your families to gather around the table and create memories that will last forever!
Families will cover your kitchen table with white paper. Gather art supplies, cut out various sizes of red or pink construction paper hearts, and glue them to their white paper tablecloth.
Each evening, a different family member will be responsible for finding a "Love" verse from the Bible to bring to the table.
During mealtime, families will write the verse on one of the larger hearts and discuss what the verse means...and how to apply it to their lives.
Families will be encouraged to create "sweet" Valentine’s Day treats together!
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Breakfast Buddies - Friend Day
Invite them to your table!
Looking for a way to grow your children's ministry? Host fun "Bring a friend" days!
You can choose from once a month, quarterly, every Sunday for one month...whatever works best for you!
Have the children load up their plates, gather around the table, and enjoy special treats while you teach a special lesson on "Friends from the Bible." Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, Jesus and His Disciples, etc.
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Birthday Bingo
Have a seat at my Table
Birthday Bingo - Church Wide, Family or Children's Event
Bingo with a twist!
Set up and decorate tables to represent the 12 months. For instance, decorate the January table with the New Year celebration items. February with Valentine's Day items, etc. Depending on the size of your church, you may have to set more tables together for each month.
As guests arrive, they find their birth month table and have a seat. This will encourage new friendships and make for some interesting conversation.
Bingo will be played the same way as regular Bingo with a couple of exceptions.
1. When someone Bingo's, instead of shouting Bingo, they shout out something about themselves (current), something about them when they were born, a hobby...anything about themselves. Examples: 7pounds, 5'2, Blue eyes, Dentist, twins, baseball etc.
2. Prizes will be birthday celebration items: Boxes of cake mix, containers of frosting, birthday candles, horns, streamers, etc.
If you have extra time, you can change up the words BINGO across the top with a different word, such as PARTY or something else.
You can also replace the free space with a picture of Jesus (or the word 'Jesus') and give a short devotion on the best gift we will ever receive: the free gift that Jesus offers...Salvation.
