Do you feel a little desperate for a girls’ night out sometimes? Me, too. Sometimes I casually tell my girlfriends that I’d love a night out, but inside I know Something’s Gotta Give. It’s natural to crave friendship: sitting around a table together eating and chatting recharges our batteries.
That’s how the email began, the email that I sent to twenty-something ladies earlier this month in an attempt to start a monthly Sunday night supper club, an idea that had gently brewed for a couple of months but gathered steam while reading about Shauna Niequist’s monthly Cooking Club in Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table.
“Friendship is acting out God’s love for people in tangible ways.”
I sprinkled quotes from Bread & Wine throughout the email and outlined a plan for incorporating monthly themes like:
- book club/what’s on your nightstand
- writing cards of encouragement
- arts & crafts (teach us something or let’s create together)
- what’s your dream?
- share your story
- favorite things party
I didn’t know how many ladies would come, but I couldn’t let myself worry about that. (It’s easy to waste time worrying about numbers, isn’t it?)
Ultimately, I trusted that the ladies who needed to be there would come.
Four of us sat down for over three hours and ate and talked and laughed and It. Was. Wonderful. I asked everyone to share the book or blog or magazine they’re currently reading (you’ll never guess what I chose), but we talked so much about life in general that we completely forgot.
“People aren’t longing to be impressed;
they’re longing to feel like they’re home.”
Shauna imagines that we’ll read Bread and Wine as a book and later bring it into the kitchen as a cookbook (most chapters contain a recipe at the end) and that was my plan. Until the toffee. Now that I’ve made Dark Chocolate Sea Salted Toffee my life will never be the same. I’ll just spread it thinner and give the chocolate more time to set before we attack it next time.
Bread & Wine makes me think more deeply about hospitality, friendship, support, shared experience, and moments lived around a table. I don’t know what will become of our supper club—if it was a one time event or if others will want to host—but I know that I can’t do without my girlfriends and sweet moments shared are worth taking the time to plan and savor.
Join us on the Bloom book club page at (in)courage for Bread and Wine. We just started and the conversation continues until the end of July.
Buy it for 1/2 price—$9.99—from DaySpring! As always, orders of $50 or more ship for free.
{In the spirit of Bread & Wine, here are two recipes that I made for our supper club: Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Garlic Herb Pasta.}
Disclosure: compensated affiliate links used
I’m REALLY loving this book. I was excited, encouraged, then was cracking up then felling sorrowful for Shauna. Your post has encouraged me as well! Thank you.
I’m not even in the 2nd chapter and it’s spurred ideas of my own gathering, only to have my hubby come home and profess that that’s what we are needing for our fellowship/bible studies ministries we’re starting soon! Talk about confirmation! 😉
It really makes you think of ways you want to live differently, doesn’t it?
Hi Dawn, nice to meet you!
I just loved this post because I identify with having gatherings with friends. I crave the fellowship of my sisters and love Girls Night Out (or In!). Years ago I tried to form a book club where we would all read the same book and get together for a potluck dinner to discuss. Well we maybe got through 2 chapters, unfortunately my friends didn’t share my enthusiasm or maybe were just too busy with life at the time.
Fast forward a few years…I have since been part of Home Groups through my church, numerous Ladies Bible Studies, different Book Clubs and of course the best of all-Bloom Book Club! I love the ideas people share and how we support each other. It is so important this feeling of community.
Thanks for sharing your heart and ideas…for us to try!!!
I will sign up for your blog.
Blessings!
Laura, I’m glad you kept trying! A real life book club sounds like so much fun.
Love this idea, Dawn! I used to do this with 2 friends when we were single gals, and then we all got married and got way too busy. But, I may bring the idea back with a new group that just finished doing Lisa Harper’s Malachi study with me. There are 4 of us, and we had giddy fun doing a pot luck at the end of the study. I am thinking we could do it once a month or every other month… or maybe quarterly…
Lyli, I think you’ve got a great idea and what sounds like a receptive crowd!
In a word, fellowship.
In context of Christian disciples, fellowship is extremely important. We know truth and doctrine is, right? Those baptized on the day of Pentecost continued “steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and in fellowship…”
We should be just as intentional about fellowship. My motto is, go small and go home. It sounds like you’ve accomplished just that.
“Go small and go home”—I love it!
Oh how fun! I love this! And I LOVE your comment about numbers… oh how we can get caught up on that, can’t we? I am blessed to gather women in my home at least once a week – often times more… sometimes over a meal – but more often over a cup of coffee – but it’s the fellowship that feeds and nourishes the most! Love this post! (and I hope you get to gather again soon!)
Karrillee, you’ve got this all figured out—just sitting down for coffee simplifies and makes sure you get your dose of girl time.
I hope your group stays together! I really love the idea “Sunday Supper Club”. My women’s small group (6 close friends from church) get together every other Wed. We eat, talk, laugh, cry, and study the Bible together. I value that time together so much! What would we do without our girlfriends? 🙂
I think we have a hostess for next month. I even invited someone I’d never met (crazy, huh?) and three ladies that I’d only met once. Your group sounds like the perfect size, schedule, and subject matter. 🙂
I love that you put that all together. I used to go to a bookclub once a week that a friend of mine hosted. She was a chef and she’d cook these amazing brunches and we’d gather and that year was some of the sweetest fellowship I’d ever had. Such a healing time for me to develop deep friendships with other women.
Alia Joy, that sounds like so much fun! That would be my dream: that a friend who was a chef wanted to cook for us. 🙂
Dawn,
I loved your post and am confident your supper club experiment will turn into a habit of blessing. Your blog is beautiful. The bonus of having a recipe to enjoy was a splendid treat today! I’ll look forward to preparing it soon!
Amy, we’ve got a volunteer to host our supper club, so it will continue at least another month!
Love that you’ve already engaged your people around the table! Quite envious, to tell you the truth. And YES to the Dark Chocolate Sea Salted Toffee!!!! YES! Thank you for this second helping! So nice to have met you here!
Thanks for visiting, Lori! I’ve found I do better just putting something on the calendar instead of analyzing. I tend to over think things: I can’t get the house clean, come up with something to cook, etc. Just do it. 🙂
I’ve moved quite a bit in my little life and my circumstances, quite naturally, have changed. While residing in Texas and Kentucky, I was able to initiate, cultivate and celebrate with girlfriends clubs, Bible studies, etc. However, in my current locale, with my current circumstances, I’ve been reluctant to do what seemingly comes natural. I’m not sure why, but I long for and struggle to find the community I once commanded. Ms. Dawn, your Second Serving is very inspirational, but I fear I will be terminated from the table (rejected).
Nadia, your comment just makes me hurt for you. Please try to connect again. Start in an easy way, like meeting ladies at Starbucks or at a restaurant.
mmm, I have loved so many of the recipes that I have tried from #BreadandWine! the toffee is on my list to do soon… maybe even today! 🙂
Sometimes the fear of rejection makes reaching out so difficult, but when I leave it in God’s hands, then I know it will come together in His time, with His plan!
Julie, you just have to pray that the women who need to be there will come, and be content with their number, no matter how small.
I also thought the cooking club sounded fun and you make it sound even easier! Thanks for sharing your ideas! Thinking about implementing them…
Paula, I gave away four copies of the book and I have another friend who started hosting a cooking club this week!
So glad you took the books premise and began a chance a dinner club yourself. I know that the 3 who shared the evening with you will want to reproduce the chance for growing friendships.
Alicia, we’ve already done it once more since then!