Monday, March 26, 2007
Feasting From The Table
We recently were invited to form a new small group with some friends we had been hoping to be able to spend more time with. It was not an easy decision to make. We love the friends we have made in the Lifeteam we were meeting with. But it seemed that God might be calling us to a new direction. Joe & Becky have been in Abilene, ministering with Highland for almost three years. The church has not assimilated them into their lives even though Joe serves on the staff and Becky has poured her life into serving Highland and its programs. For this reason, it has been difficult for them to break away from their former church. So we said "yes."
We have begun meeting with Joe & Becky, Darell (who has lost two wives to cancer) and Annette, who lost her husband to illness, Duane and Pat. It has been a good thing. I think the group has been formed by God.
We get together on Sunday evenings and spend time visting with each other, sharing a meal together and sharing the Lord's supper together. Duane is in a men's group that meets on Sunday afternoons and Calvin is in that group, so he gets to share with Calvin in the Lord's supper there and then with us. I could easily envy him for that. But he brings from that such blessing. Because we are small, we are able to share intimately with each other. We have only been meeting a short time, but I can see that God is going to pour out great blessings on this group.
My Sunday morning Bible class has not grown as we would have liked it to. However, we have added two new members who have brought much to the class. It, too, is much like a small group. And so, there, also, we have been able to share and grow. We have a vision of ministering to the single parents in our church. Our first project is to host first a Mother's Day and then Father's Day meals for those moms and dads who are raising their children alone.
So, even though I have given up much, God has added much more to my life. We still feel a part of our Lifeteam and will be visiting them from time to time. I envision our groups meeting together for social occasions. We're family. The family of God.
We have begun meeting with Joe & Becky, Darell (who has lost two wives to cancer) and Annette, who lost her husband to illness, Duane and Pat. It has been a good thing. I think the group has been formed by God.
We get together on Sunday evenings and spend time visting with each other, sharing a meal together and sharing the Lord's supper together. Duane is in a men's group that meets on Sunday afternoons and Calvin is in that group, so he gets to share with Calvin in the Lord's supper there and then with us. I could easily envy him for that. But he brings from that such blessing. Because we are small, we are able to share intimately with each other. We have only been meeting a short time, but I can see that God is going to pour out great blessings on this group.
My Sunday morning Bible class has not grown as we would have liked it to. However, we have added two new members who have brought much to the class. It, too, is much like a small group. And so, there, also, we have been able to share and grow. We have a vision of ministering to the single parents in our church. Our first project is to host first a Mother's Day and then Father's Day meals for those moms and dads who are raising their children alone.
So, even though I have given up much, God has added much more to my life. We still feel a part of our Lifeteam and will be visiting them from time to time. I envision our groups meeting together for social occasions. We're family. The family of God.
# posted by pawatson @ 9:20 AM 
