Notes From the February 11 & 12 Event
There is something physically welcoming about Enchanted Hills Retreat Center. The setting and the accommodations add a lot to the experiences of groups meeting there. It was a good experience living and eating and sharing together. The food was wonderful, but the feeding of the spirit was even better.
We were a group of 28: couples, parts of couples, singles, old, middle age and just a little beyond young. We had divergent views. We had a facilitator who not only listened but responded wisely to what she heard. We had a minister who listened more than he talked but when he did speak shared his fears, his vulnerability and his hope for the days ahead.
We started off with a time of community building where we shared out expectations. Then Gayle Madison, our Associate Conference Minister for the Northern Golden Gate Association of the United Church of Christ, led us into a study of our church in its cycles of life.
The cycles ran from infancy to death. At the tope of the cycle was “The Prime of Life”. Closely related to it but already beginning the movement towards the end was “Maturity”. Following “Maturity” was “Aristocracy”, then “Bureaucracy” and without intervention “Death”. In discussing the aspects of these various stages we learned a lot about our congregation and where it is in its life cycle. While we contain some of each of the cycles, we soon begin to see that we were past our “prime” fully into Maturity and showing slippage into both Aristocracy and Bureaucracy.
What we learned that was most helpful was that recognizing where we are gives us some of the keys to changing our ways to revitalize an already powerful community. We also came to understand that our awareness of our mission, a statement and commitment to vision is essential to us a as a community of God’s people.
One of the singularly most powerful events of the retreat was some of the sharing from the hearts of the participants. Gene led the way and many of us were not hesitant in following. It was as we shared from our hearts that we began to experience hope.
We all left the retreat knowing that we had much work to do as a congregation, but we had begun the journey and most of us were committed to the work that lies ahead
We closed with a simply communion service led by Gene and John during which each of us shared a moment of gift we had received from our experience together.
The leadership of our congregation will be formulating a path for us to follow as we learn more about ourselves and the ways in which we can enrich and broaden the experience of our church as a faith community. We will be seeking a vision that will lead us in the days ahead.
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