REVIVE: FCC’S YOUNG ADULT DISCUSSION GROUP
June 2014
Revive, our young adult discussion group, has met twice since its re-launch on Sunday, April 27th. We have been pleased with the turnout so far and look forward to some new folks and old friends joining us at our next meeting.
On April 27th, we reflected on Susan’s sermon about trains leaving the station as a metaphor for not missing the next small or big thing that God is calling us to do. We talked about how every significant event or accomplishment starts small with a perhaps seemingly insignificant step in the right direction, and we thought about ways we could start to have a positive impact on today’s culture and bridge the seemingly widening
separation between individuals as we go about our busy and tech-centric lives.
On May 18th, we joined the informational meeting for a possible mission trip and enjoyed hearing about an organization called Simply Smiles, which could host a group from our church on a trip to work with indigent communities and children at a Native American reservation in South Dakota or in a rural town in Mexico. After the mission trip meeting, we read 1 Peter 2:2-10 and John 14:1-14 together. We focused on 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” This verse clearly charges us and calls us to perform an important duty, but we struggled with some of the language (“a chosen race” etc.) seeming exclusionary. Some in the group felt that the language was not intended to be exclusionary because this epistle from Peter was addressed to numerous early churches over a wide geographic area, which probably counted among their members both Gentiles and people of Jewish background. In Christ, we are a new “race” that encompasses everyone, including all those people who were formally marginalized in society. We also reflected on the passage from John and what it means for Jesus to prepare a place for us in God’s house, and for God’s house to have many dwelling places. We pondered the question of where God dwells – somewhere in space? Another universe? In places on Earth? In each of us? We also talked about the importance of prayer as the way to reach God.
Please join us for our next meeting on Sunday, June 15th at noon. Location is to be determined – we may meet outdoors if the weather permits. As always, we will have an informal discussion about current events and study/reflection on the morning service’s scripture readings and sermon. Revive meets monthly on the third Sunday of each month at noon at locations around Stamford.
To stay up to date on meeting times and locations, email rmgodzeno@gmail.com to be added to our email list, or check the FCC weekly email blast and Sunday bulletin.