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​An explanation of the table

Jesus was always at table.

Think about that. There isn't a better image for understanding how Christian community is developed and sustained. Flipping through the pages of the Gospels we see Jesus at all types of tables - sometimes as the host, at other times as the guest, and with a whole host of different people. From a conversation with an individual, to the Lord's Supper, to a gathering of the 12, to being at table as a guest in the home of the religious, the sinner, the tax collector, to feeding the 5,000.

Everywhere tables.

As a Jesus-centered, others-focused, neighborhood church, Summit Street Church believes that Jesus' table is vast and that ALL are invited to it. We are trying hard to reconceive the vision of community that we see Jesus so passionately and intentionally creating. 
Now, we understand that there are all types of reasons why people might not "do church:" 
hypocrisy and abuse...
life routines...
a sense that church is inauthentic, judgmental, unhelpful or irrelevant.

And that's why we work with the understanding that church isn't "a service we attend." Church is something "that we are." As we retrieve the church's first understanding of itself as a people called to extending Christ's community, everything changes. You are welcome at The Table.
WHAT THIS MEANS​

This understanding of
​church changes everything.

The implications of understanding church in a different way are profound. But the change is slow. If Jesus taught his disciples that he would become manifest "when two or more gathered" in his name (Matt. 18:20), then we want to open our minds and hearts to the variety of places that God's presence becomes manifest. Because we take Jesus' words seriously, we live with an understanding of church that appreciates the many ways Jesus-centered community is developed and comes to life. 

Not everything is church, but with intention, many things can become church. 

And this is what we work to facilitate: being the church and creating tables of God's presence in the everyday. Summit Street Church doesn't want to be defined by its Sunday morning service (alone). Because there's so much more to church, to the life of faith communities, to becoming disciples of Jesus.

While Sunday Worship (The Large Table) is our central gathering and has many of the traditional expressions you might know, we recognize that Summit Street Church is more than what takes place during the service and who is gathering in that space at that time. As such, our vision for the Summit Street Church community could be understood as a very large table that includes any number of smaller tables at the periphery. THE TABLE is comprised of The Large Table (our Sunday gathering) and a variety of Smaller Tables (all our other gatherings). And, at this point, we find that while new faces are joining us on Sunday mornings (many of those people with children), this faith community is becoming much more than a Sunday morning event. We believe that this is more faithful to the original understanding of "church."​

​You are welcome at the table

We'd like to cordially invite you to The Table, in any way.
If you find yourself resonating with any of the explanation about or if you are looking for a laid back, authentic,
​vulnerable faith community, Summit Street Church might be for you.

about our table gatherings

large Table gathering

Summit Street Church meets every week on Sundays at 1220 Summit St in Beatrice, at the corner of 12th Street and Summit Street. If you'd like to be involved in this gathering we meet beginning at 9:30 AM. If you live at a distance but resonate with this faith community, please join our gathering via YouTube.

SMALLEr TABLE GATHERINGS

Children's Sunday School: @10:30, Church Basement
We gather our children after the service around a lesson, some food and some fun. We welcome you to our Large Gathering, but if you can't make it our main service, feel free to come and be with us at around 10:30 AM.

Adult Sunday School: Coming Soon
Men's Bible Study: Coming Soon

Wednesday Night Book Gathering: @ 7:00 PM, Parlor
​During this time we read an interesting text that speaks to the life of the church and/or discipleship. In the past we've read NT Wright's, "How God Became King" and Stuart Murray's, "The New Anabaptists." We are currently reading David E. Fitch's, "Faithful Presence." If this is a table type that speaks to you, feel free to join us. In the future we hope to make this gathering a hybrid offering where people can be at table both physically and at a distance.

Men's Coffee: Fridays @ 10:00 AM, Country Cookin'
Women's Coffee: Fridays @ 10:00 AM, Kala's 
This is a gathering that comes free of agenda, program, and plan. But in this gathering we invite God to be present among us. It is open to anyone and allows people to gather without an expectation.

what to expect at the large gathering

How long is the Large gathering (worship service)?

It's about an hour. Sometimes just a tad longer. A typical service begins with the Lord's Prayer and an Examen, followed by music (where song lyrics are projected onto the screens so you can sing along). Then the pastor shares a Jesus-centered sermon, offers space to Children's Time and then passes the mic so that the community can share any announcements and/or prayer requests. But the services are always laid back, varying in content week-to-week. 

About every other week we practice multi-vocal community, passing the mic and offering space for responses to the sermon offered the week before. No one is forced to give a word, but we believe that God is speaking to all people and that community is developed as we hear from one another. In the coming weeks and months we will be experimenting with our services. We seek to find more life-giving ways of worshipping together that foster life as disciples and as a local faith community.

What's it like at Summit Street?

Sundays at Summit Street are very casual and relaxed. ​So, you can wear whatever is comfortable. Bring your coffee mug because there is coffee. But, seriously, come as you are. We believe that our Large Gatherings are spaces to invoke the presence of God as we are present with one another. Whether you’re a believer, non-believer, someone with questions, or anyone in between, you are welcome here!

what about kids?

We are all about them! In fact, for the size of our Large Table, the number of children is very large. Kids typically stay with us in the large meeting area on Sunday mornings. In fact, we work to consistently get them involved in the service. We have a special activity bag with some fun things they can do during the service if necessary and a vibrant Sunday School directly following the service.

We understand that children make noise, get the wiggles, and may need to move around. That’s all OK at Summit Street! We encourage you to sit wherever you’re comfortable, explain to children what’s going on, participate as you'd like. You can always step out and come back if your children (or you) need a break. We have a kid's play room with lots of toys where you can stay with your kids and still hear the service.

have an idea for a new table?

Email the pastor and tell him about it!

where to find us

GET DIRECTIONS
We are located at 1220 Summit Street, at the corner of 12th Street and Summit Street.

    let us know you're coming

    Thinking about visiting us? We'd love to know when you might come so we can be ready to greet you!