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The roundtable
links the experience of communion to the work of reconciliation
in our world. The walnut pedestal, with its ring of cherry, evokes
the well from which we draw the sustaining power to participate
in the work of reconciliation. The maple top centers on the bubbling
waters of renewal issuing forth in a mosaic of glass tiles. The
four walnut mandorlas depict not only a cross but also the compass
points embracing our world. The wheat and grapes, made of poplar,
cherry and purpleheart inlays, remind us of the nurture and sacrifice
necessary to the work of reconciliation. The dove, made from holly,
calls on the spirit that enables people to come to the table from
all languages, cultures, and nationalities. The feather, made of
zebrawood, draws on Native American traditions, where it authorizes
the conversation of equal voices in council with one another.
The table was
commissioned by Thomas Porter, Director of JustPeace, a movement
originating in the United Methodist Church to advance restorative
justice principles and practices. It resides in the Wellesley Congregational
Village Church, Wellesley, Massachusetts. The
table was featured on the cover of Conflict and Communion: Reconciliation
and Restorative Justice at Christ's Table, ed. Thomas Porter (Nashville:
Discipleship Resources, 2006). Available at www.upperroom.org/bookstore.
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