HAVING JESUS FOR DINNER ...
a hands-on bible seminar and feast

Having Jesus for Dinner, immersion in the “good news”

 

A four hour seminar and feast with the Reverend Dr. Christopher Levan

 

The Concept:

Using his most recent book, Having Jesus for Dinner, community or cannibalism, Dr. Levan will take participants through the experience of sharing a meal with Jesus.  It takes about four hours and five courses. We’ll explore the gospel evidence for eating with Jesus and how his “Kingdom of God” movement was based on shared bread. We will conclude with the challenge: Can Christians reset the table for a new expression of Jesus’ “holy meal”—one suited for our current mission here and now.  

 

The Details

1. Incorporating his extensive experience and research, Chris will use your church kitchen to cook and present a five course, first century Mediterranean meal for anywhere from 10 to 100 participants. In the past, this programme has worked best as an evening event for adults.

2. This seminar will rely upon the most recent archeological and biblical research to illustrate how the followers of Jesus ate together. We’ll review the many complaints about Jesus and his meal fellowship and we’ll ask why his meal caused problems for religious authorities and ask why it has changed over time.The food is the actual context for conversation and discussion and the time between the courses is the moment for introducing content. Each participant will receive a course booklet with details of the biblical story about the food and recipes for each course.Chris will have other reading material and his book, available for purchase.

3. Participants need bring only a pillow, a blanket and an open mind. Chris will provide the rest.No previous experience in bible study is necessary.

4. The church needs to make their kitchen and dishes available for Chris for the day of the event and arrange for an appropriate liquor license, since the meal includes the serving (not the selling) of wine.

5. The price of the event is $35 per participant. Churches may choose to add their own fund-raising premium on top of the per-person price.

 

 

 

Sponsorship:

 

This seminar is sponsored by CUBAbility, Friends of Cuba, as part of its on-going support for feeding programmes in Matanzas, Cuba, and the establishment of a job-training bakery in the Kairos Centre, also in Matanzas.

 

 

Background

 

Dr. Levan is a retired United Church Minister, Bible Scholar, University Professor, Ethicist, Academic Administrator, Freelance Writer and Professional Speaker. In his lifetime, he has also been:

• a baker – starting his own bakery

• a tour guide – running tours to Europe and the Holy land, as well as many trips to Cuba, through his own business

• a writer and editor- having puiblished a dozen books

• a fundraiser- leading major capital campaigns and yearly drives

His publications include:

• Having Jesus for Dinner, community or cannibalism, Eugene Or.: Cascade Books, 2023.

• The Prayer, 68 words that changed the world, Eugene Or.: Cascade Books, 2018.

• Give us this Day, Lenten reflections on baking bread and discipleship, Toronto: UCC, 2002.

• God Hates Religion, Toronto: United Church Publishing House, 1995.