Join us for Dinner!
join the Movement!
In what feels like an increasingly divisive world, we feel the pull toward practicing neighborliness — getting to know the people on our street, in our community, and in our organizations more deeply. So, we are launching a People’s Supper campaign during the height of election season to help remind each other what community is really about: relationship not about politics.
The People’s Supper uses shared meals to build trust and connection among people of different identities and perspectives. This work was born of a belief — to quote a popular adage — that “change moves at the speed of trust,” and that trust moves at the speed of relationships. It is guided by a simple question: "What needs healing here?"
What Happens During a Meal?
It starts with an invitation. Hosts will reach out to people in their communities they don’t yet know to invite them to a small dinner of 6-8 people in their home, at a local restaurant, or a neutral location like a church or community center. Some of these folks might be people hosts know a little, but not deeply. Others might be people they don’t know at all. And still others might be neighbors who hold different beliefs (maybe as shown through political signs popping up in lawns all over America).
Dinner is served. Dinner is simple. Maybe everyone clips in for a pizza, or you pick some things from your summer garden to serve. Dinner (or brunch or lunch) is the mechanism of the relationship, not the point, so side with a simple meal.
Relationships are built. Each host will have access to a toolkit that involves a script with an introduction, ice-breaker questions, ground rules, and 3-4 discussion questions. The toolkit will also give hosts some tips for how to redirect conversation away from politics (if it comes up) and back to relationship.
what happens after?
After all of the dinners, hosts will be invited to debrief the experience and see if there are any natural next steps that arise from the process.
How Do I Sign Up or Learn More?
If you are interested in hosting a dinner, please sign up using the button below. The link will take you to a form that will collect some information about you, your location, and ask for the time and date of your dinner. We’ve found the best nights to host dinners are Thursday, Friday, Sunday or Monday, but choose a time that works for you. If you want to learn more and come to our open house training, let us know that too and we will send you the location closer to the date.
In September, we will open another form that will help people who want to attend a dinner find one if their schedule didn’t work out for the one they were invited to.
Questions?
Email us: SupperSTL@mccgsl.org