Lisa Abraham of the Columbus Dispatch writes in a column about the tragic potluck dinner at Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church that social aspects and community building of potluck dinners are important – but safety should rise above fellowship.

People often ask me why I prefer to write about food.

My answer is always the same: Food unites us.

It is our common denominator; we all need nourishment.

They were “breaking bread together,” church pastor Bill Pitts recently told The Dispatch.
Many of us have taken part in similar events.

The end-of-the-year potluck is the highlight of the gatherings of my church book club. I look forward to trying the different dishes that club members bring, and we convince one another that it’s rude not to sample every dessert (wouldn’t want to offend the person who made it).

I have a few friends who are squeamish about eating at potlucks; they worry about the conditions under which the food was prepared.

I understand their concerns, and the Lancaster case certainly gives them credence.
Instead of making us more wary of others’ food, though, I hope that the incident makes us more cautious when preparing food.

I thought about the jars of home-canned jelly, relish and other foods that friends have shared with me through the years. As long as the seal was tight, I didn’t ask about the canning method used.

Let’s learn a lesson from Lancaster — by ensuring that the bread we break is safe to share.