A Zoom-Powered Shrove Tuesday Progressive "Brinner"

Brinner = Breakfast for Dinner
Shrove Tuesday = The day before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday.

Traditionally on Shrove Tuesday, you eat the last fats and sweets in the house before the fasting of Lent starts. Hence its alternate name: "Fat Tuesday" and the tradition of having pancakes with syrup and bacon. It is a time of asking for forgiveness. In some places, it became associated with parties or "carnival" (like Mardi Gras which literally means "Fat Tuesday"). In many churches it has been the occasion for the annual pancake supper. It's holy day celebrated in many denominations. More info

Due to the wise restrictions against in-person gathering during the COVID pandemic, many churches are not able to host in-person Shrove Tuesday brinners, but they could celebrate in small groups connected by Zoom. Below is an idea for doing that based on that old church favorite: "progressive dinner."

Similar to a progressive dinner, but without the traveling, participants are given a schedule of four Zoom meetings to join: the first at 6 pm, the second at 6:15, the third at 6;30, for example. Each Zoom meeting is hosted by a different family at their kitchen table. Everyone eats at their own table throughout the 45 minute Brinner. The hosts have a Bible reading and question for the participants to quickly discuss while they all eat. Any extra time can be taken up by conversation or sharing what each is eating for their brinner.

The fourth and final stop at 6:45 can be an "all groups" arriving at the pastor's kitchen table for a closing message and hymn.

You can adjust the # of hosted stops, the length of time at each stop, and the number of people arriving at each stop.

For example, if you have more than 6 people/families coming to each Zoom stop, you can add MORE stops (hosts) and divide up who goes where so that each stop feels less "crowded." By adding hosts you can vastly expand the number of hosts/stops, and still all end up on the last Zoom meeting at the pastor's home together. The travelers still only go to four stops total. The hosts wait for people to join their Zoom meeting --which they repeat for each group who arrives per the schedule.

Lots of possibilities here, and who knows, maybe this will become another a terrific outreach to friends of your church family and those who are home-bound.