Final Presentation & Meeting

Last night, I made a small presentation in a longer meeting for some members of the three churches. This summer, Pastor Kirstin and Minister Troy have been holding Wednesday night discipleship meetings, giving talks and holding discussions. Quite a few church members would show up, bring a potluck dinner to share, and then listen and discuss. Every Wednesday night since early June.

I hadn’t been to any of these meetings previously since they didn’t really have any direct relation to the work that I was doing. Other members of the church wanted me to come, of course, since it was more faith-based and a bit more like some Sunday worship services, but both Minister Troy and Pastor Kirstin told me I didn’t need to be there, so I never went (plus, the idea of diving head first into a worship service kind of freaked me out, especially at the beginning of the program).

But! This time I did go, as I was going to present on who I was and what I was doing and some of my preliminary findings. I got there early and shared in the delicious food beforehand (I ate potentially the best pasta salad I have ever tasted). I also spoke again with Pastor Jack, whom I had met and conversed with a few weeks ago in Café Con Leche. We had interesting discussions about what global communication meant for the future and some work his colleagues would be doing in a few weeks in Tunisia. Pastor Jack is so excited about outreach and service, so understanding, and so knowledgeable about so many things that I really enjoy talking to him and I do plan on keeping in touch with him because he really is a great guy that I have learned so much from.

My presentation was fine and nothing special, because the main thing I really got from last night’s meeting was how much I’ve seen the congregations develop. At the first church council meeting that I went to, hardly anyone spoke up or talked or did anything, even when asked a direct question by Pastor Kirstin or Minister Troy. Last night it was a completely different story! Pastor Kirstin asked the group what they would like to do in terms of outreach, or gifts they might be able to share with the community, and so many people spoke up and raised their hands and had wonderful things to share that I was genuinely surprised and very, very pleased. Things like organized camps or play times at the churches for local kids, participation for one hour per week in a tutoring program for kindergarten through third grade kids to help them reach a third grade reading level by the time they leave the third grade, and going around to help local senior citizens with common household repairs they are unable to do themselves. I’m so proud to have worked with them and played a part – small, but noticeable – in this growth!