So, why a tea party? Any tea lover would quickly reply, “Why not a tea party?”, but it goes much deeper than that. Perhaps it’s because of our “church search” journey in recent months that has made connecting the body of Christ especially important to me. Being on the “visitor” side of the equation has reminded me of just how incredibly vital it is that people are welcoming to newcomers and caring to those around them. If we are to give God glory through our lives (which means giving a correct estimate of who He is to others) then we need to become very intentional as to who He has placed around us instead of focusing on ourselves. That is giving a correct estimate of our awesome Lord.
On the last week of our Summer study, I passed out feedback sheets in hopes of learning where I could improve as a teacher and how the class could improve in specific areas. One thing that was mentioned a few times was connecting more with the other class members, which is especially vital when the class members represent more than 5 churches. Is this easy to do in the amount of time we allot for class? No, but that’s no excuse. So, I’m praying for creative ways to “set the stage” for connecting opportunities, but the actual connecting will have to come from each person.
Last week, after talking on 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, we wrote down a specific area where we needed to experience God’s comfort this week and then put the request in a basket, along with our contact information. We passed the basket around with the requests and yummy Dove chocolate pieces (dark chocolate, of course!) The ladies were encouraged to pray for the person they drew, and to encourage/minister to them in some way. Once they had done so they were to enjoy their piece of chocolate. A little “comfort” food never hurt anyone, right?
So, I’m looking forward to receiving feedback from the ladies to see which holiday we will be celebrating as a group. I’ll keep you posted!
