First of all a report on last evening’s Team Gathering: –
If there is one common denominator for the three Gatherings we’ve had since Summer 2013, I guess it would be “Plan C”. That’s because, at each Gathering we seem to have had an extraordinary number of last minute catastrophes, all of which required a scramble to regroup but, by Grace alone, each occasion has also been a real blessing, enjoyed by all of those in attendance.Last evening was no exception!
After hearing, early in the afternoon, that our guest Speaker was down with the flu, things degenerated further when news came that a key committee member was also unwell. Fortunately her sister was able to email us the PowerPoint slides for the evening, we borrowed another member’s sister’s laptop and the evening slowly came together.
Eleven people gathered, instead of the anticipated sixteen but, afterwards, as a group of us washed the dishes, one of the girls commented on what a special evening it had been, music to my ears! And, as people were putting on their coats I was handed three completed Team Applications. Hallelujah! (oops! it’s still Lent!)
It is always a special evening when the Eucharist is celebrated, right in my living room and with a group of young people, each of whom holds a unique place in my heart. Josiah had chosen some lovely Lenten songs, the group who had joined us straight from their “30-hour Famine”, shared some special insights gained through that experience, Linda Faith celebrated with great depth of feeling; it was truly a Holy Communion.
So the time spent this morning, with the Children @St. Stephen’s made a delightful segue. We sat on the dining room floor and these little ones shared their thoughts on what prayer is, and on how and where we can pray. Malachi (age 7) earnestly explained “if you are at school you can talk to God in your head”, a pretty brilliant reminder of how “present” God can be, wherever and whatever our circumstances.
With the help of Mike and John, each child then made a personal Prayer Journal and,as the sermon discussion moved into a time of Intercessions, our little group drew Prayer Pictures, before rejoining the rest of the community for Communion.
This Lenten weekend has truly been stitched together with prayer and, as the Senior Youth Camp Bible Study takes over the living room this evening, it seems that the thread remains very central, especially as we dive into the week preceding Holy Week and Easter.