Together

It appears we're a people who really, really enjoy coming together. We've been finding ways to get together a lot. Recently we've gathered at the Retirees' Retreat (I was there!). Youth and young adults gathered at their annual Thanksgiving retreat. Another small group had a few days of silent retreat in each other's company.

Within recent weeks we've had a men's retreat at McGowan's Lake and a women's retreat at Ziontario. And it's not long since Family and Friends met at Erie Beach. Many of us couldn't get through a summer season without a reunion or a camp experience, be it kids camp or junior or senior high; and others teamed up with Canada West youth for a bus trip to SPEC and IYF.

Now here's my thought on all this togetherness. Why do we do that? Is it because we just love each other's company? Or does the coming together help us do what we need to do between gatherings?

Glenn McDonald in The Disciple Making Church suggests that every disciple needs an Antioch--the place we return to, to regain our strenth. But we also need a Macedonia--the place we're called to go and bring ministry. True disciples, says McDonald, need both.

Go back from time to time to your Antioch, but pay attention to the call to Macedonia. Now that we've all be strengthened and nurtured by coming together, it's time to listen for the call to do ministry in the community. Let's think a minute about where we're being called.