He owned a catering company specializing in first-century food, teaches classes on ancient food and feasts, and makes his own cheese and wine. The success of the confirmation meals were just the beginning of his exploration of biblical food. Neel believes that food and feasts can create communities. Not only did they celebrate the faith commitment made by those who were confirmed, but they also celebrated the existence of a small community that was created by the common experience of attending class week after week.” He says, “Something important happened when they pulled those tables together, passed around platters of food, and shared the meal and good conversation. He would tell the students, “Now that you are confirmed, we must eat the food that Jesus ate.” They would all then go to the Middle Eastern restaurant around the corner from the cathedral, pull tables together, and enjoy a biblical feast. “One of the great highlights of the day was lunch,” according to Neel. After a ten-week period of confirmation classes, students would have the option to affirm their faith by baptism or confirmation in a special Saturday service. Neel, biblical feasting began as a tradition that followed Saturday confirmation services at his Episcopal Church in Dallas.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |