The Agape Meal — A Sacred Supper | April 2, 5:30 pm
April 2, 2026 5:30 PM
- 6:30 PM
Thursday, April 2 | 5:30 pm Parish Hall — St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church 471 W. Martintown Rd., North Augusta, SC
Dinner as It Was in the Beginning
Before there were church buildings, before there were pipe organs or printed hymnals, the earliest Christians gathered around a table. They shared simple food, read scripture aloud, and prayed together. They called this gathering the Agape Meal — a feast of love in the truest sense.
On the evening of Maundy Thursday, St. Bartholomew's revives this ancient tradition.
What Is the Agape Meal?
The Agape Meal is a liturgical meal from the Book of Occasional Services — a sacred communal supper in the tradition of the earliest Christian communities. We gather in the Parish Hall around a single long table and share foods from the time of Jesus and the disciples — bread, olives, grapes, cheese, and more. We read scripture together and pray as the first Christians did.
It is unhurried, intimate, and genuinely unlike anything most people have experienced in a church setting. Many who attend for the first time describe it as one of the most memorable evenings of their year.
What to Expect
🍞 Simple foods from the ancient world — bread, fruit, cheese, olives 📖 Scripture readings and prayers in the tradition of the early church 🕯 Candlelit tables in the Parish Hall 🤍 A peaceful, communal atmosphere ⏱ Approximately 45–60 minutes 👶 Childcare available for young children
The Agape Meal is followed at 6:30 pm by the Maundy Thursday service in the church — Holy Eucharist with foot washing and the stripping of the altar. You are warmly encouraged to attend both, though each stands on its own.
Who Is This For?
The Agape Meal is especially meaningful for:
- Those who want to experience the roots of Christian worship
- Anyone curious about what the early church actually looked like
- People who find meaning in gathering around a table
- Friends who may not usually attend church but are open to something different
- Families — children are welcome and will find the foods and setting memorable
All are welcome. No prior church experience required.
This Is Something Different
You will not find this at most churches. The Agape Meal is one of the most distinctive things St. Bartholomew's does all year — and one of the things that makes Holy Week here unlike Holy Week anywhere else.
Join Us Thursday, April 2 | 5:30 pm Parish Hall — St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church 471 W. Martintown Rd., North Augusta, SC 29841
Questions? Contact us at admin@saintbart.org or (803) 279-4622