At God's Table
“When I was growing up I had lots of Bible storybooks, but I had never seen a children’s book on theology or the Lord’s Supper,” said María Cornou, program manager for international and intercultural learning at the Ƶ Institute of Christian Worship. Cornou said she and cowriters, John Witvliet and Carrie Steenwyk, wanted to write a book that intentionally invites children into the discussion about communion.
En la Mesa de Dios At God’s Table is a Spanish-English children’s book that explores the richly symbolic practice of the Lord’s Supper in Christian worshiping communities. This vividly illustrated book celebrates the Lord’s Supper as a multifaceted event in a way that seeks to appeal to both children and adults.
The authors intentionally chose to put the two languages side by side rather than in two books. “It was a strategic decision to work more cross-culturally and be more hospitable to other cultures,” said Cornou. “We also wanted to be aware and understanding of the dynamics of many mixed-culture families.” Publishing the languages together just made sense, said Cornou.
“We believe that this could be a good resource not just for families but for children’s pastors, Sunday schools and Christian classrooms,” she said, suggesting that the book could even be used in college-level Spanish courses.