It's Picnic Time

The importance of eating together

by Claire Law

Suitable for Whole School (Sec)

Aims

To reflect upon communal meals and the importance of building community through shared food. 

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides accompanying this assembly (It’s Picnic Time) and the means to display them.

Assembly

1. Show Slide 1.
   Welcome students to the assembly.
2. Summertime gives us chance to enjoy some al fresco eating. ‘Al fresco’ is a phrase we use in English, drawing on the Italian language, to refer to something that takes place outside, in the fresh air.  In the Summertime, if the weather is kind to us, there’s chance for a barbeque or a leisurely picnic with family and friends.
3. Let’s take a quick poll of our favourite picnic foods.
   Any decent picnic features all sorts of goodies to choose from – sausage rolls, samosas, melon slices and crisps.  But if you had to choose from one of these three options – what would you pick as your favourite? 
4. Show Slides 2, 3 and 4.
   Who would be voting for option 1 – quiche?
   
   Ask students to raise their hand to vote for this option.
   
   
5. What about option 2 – sandwiches?
   
   Ask students to raise their hand to vote for this option.
   
   
6. And our final option – fairy cakes?
   
   Ask students to raise their hand to vote for this option.
   
   Provide a summary of the vote and declare the winning food.
   
   
7. Picnics are very much a social, community event. A picnic by ourselves is really just a packed lunch!  The word picnic comes from a 17th Century French word:  picque-nique.  A picque-nique is a social gathering where each attendee brings a share of the food.  Nowadays, it's not essential everyone brings food to a picnic.  However, the idea of gathering together, sharing food and chatting to others is at the heart of what a picnic is about, whatever’s on the menu.
   
   
8. Some picnics take place on a picnic blanket, with people sitting on the grass or on a blanket.  Some people prefer to locate a picnic table.
   Did you know that there’s a Guinness World Record for the longest picnic table? 
   
   Show Slide 5. 
   
   Here we see the World’s longest picnic table.  It measured 407.27m and was constructed for an International Festival in Memphis, Tennessee in 2019.
   
   
9. Sharing food, chatting and building community over food has been part of human culture for a very long time.  Shared meals are a way to foster and build relationships.  The act of sitting down to eat together is a powerful way to get to know someone better and to build strong relationships.  In this way the meal is more than just simple nutrition. 
10. Show Slide 6.
    
    Here we see some people enjoying a langar meal.  A langar meal is a communal meal in the Sikh religion, shared by all who come to the Sikh temple, or gurdwara. The langar meal has been a part of Sikh community for over 500 years, and anyone is welcome to join in.
11. Show Slide 7.
    
    And here we see the Bhandara, a Hindu shared meal.  Like the Sikh Langar meal, the Bhandara is a free, community meal served at temples or religious events, often on festivals or special occasions.
    
    
12. Let’s think about another meal where relationships are strengthened. A very simple meal between people.  A meal that is never eaten alone. A meal that is done in union with others.
    Show Slide 8. 
    This painting by the German artist Sieger Köde shows the Last Supper: the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion.  For around 2000 years, people have been sharing a similar meal with one another to remember the Last Supper. At this meal they remember the love of God which they believe was shown through Jesus’ death on the cross.
    
    
13. When Christians celebrate this meal, they call it Holy Communion.  This name reminds us that when Christians remember the Last Supper, they do this as a shared event, in union with others.  Other names for Holy Communion are the Lord’s Supper and Eucharist. 
    
    Show Slide 9. 
    
    Sometimes small hosts or wafers are used, sometimes pieces are broken from a large loaf. Sometimes a shared cup or chalice is used.  Whatever name or method is used, there is always a coming together to share in the meal.  In doing so, Christians believe they are strengthening relationships with other Christians and also strengthening their relationship with God.

Time for reflection

Let’s take time to reflect upon the idea of shared meals.
Let’s also reflect upon what the symbolism of Eucharist might mean to us. 

Let’s think about what we like to eat, and who we like to eat with.
Let’s take a moment to call these people and places to mind. 

Pause to allow time for reflection.

Let us also consider people in our world who eat alone. Let us pause to call to mind anyone who feels lonely and isolated.  

Pause to allow time for reflection.

Let us also pause to think about shared meals that help to express religious beliefs, and the importance of being part of a loving community. How would you feel about taking part in a Langar Meal, or being part of a Holy Communion service, for example?  Let’s pause to notice any thoughts and feelings we have. 

Pause to allow time for reflection.

Prayer:
Dear God,
We bring to you our thanks for the many meals we have enjoyed with others. 
Thank you for good food and good company which help us to feel connected to others. 
We pray for anyone who cannot enjoy this; people who have little food or feel isolated and cannot enjoy eating with others. 
We also thank you for the ways we can express our beliefs and faith through shared meals. 
We pray that anyone who takes part in a shared meal as part of their faith, will be blessed and enriched by the experience
Amen.