Now in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, to begin with, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and to some extent I believe it. Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine. When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s supper. For when the time comes to eat, each of you goes ahead with your own supper, and one goes hungry and another becomes drunk. What! Do you not have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I commend you? In this matter I do not commend you! (1Corinthians 11: 17-22)

The potluck stretches back to the very beginnings of the Church. Then, as now, it usually followed a worship service of scripture reading, scripture interpretation, and an exegesis of scripture.

Unlike today this "potluck" had a defined order, perhap similar to the Passover Seder or organized as a funeral banquet commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the early church the love feast was a weekly event, not just for special occasions.

But in some settings - as in Corinth - rather than a potluck the practice was more like a group picnic where each family brought their own hamper. While the entire body of believers gathered together to eat, each ate only that brought with them.

Rather than a festival of self-giving, such an event could become a dramatic show-case for economic and class difference. One hamper would be overflowing with fine foods, while the family seated next to them would have very little.

Today's potluck -where the origin of each dish is obscured and abundance is available to all - is much more likely to receive Paul's commendation.

Above is a Coptic Christian representation of Jesus feeding the 5000.