I live in a big city with a large university and medical
center where people from all over the nation and the world come to "earn wisdom
and stature" before moving on. The nature
of the community is somewhat transient, which allows for some unique
elements. Conversations are always
bracing, friendships are diverse, and new thoughts and ideas are endless. I must admit, I love it! My church experience has been a bit less
thrilling. This town is large and spread
out, and our local church is not really central to anyone. Busy work and school schedules and travel distance
seem to prevent some of the “normal” things you might see in a medium sized
church from occurring.

A few weeks ago, my friend Sarah and I were reminiscing
about our positive experiences in “church” as kids, and later, the spiritual
high points we remembered through the years, when we both concluded that
something was missing here. Fellowship. (A-ha, that old-fashioned word often attached to a
large room, like “fellowship hall”?) The
sense of community within a larger community was lacking for both of us.

She, being more ambitious than I, made a few phone calls,
and within a few days, I arrived at her apartment (with husband and kids in
tow) for dinner. A few door knocks and a
plateful of food later, we were sitting in a room full of young students, all
from different places, seeking the same
thing. Fellowship. With a little help from my favorite little box
of tricks, we all spent the next couple
hours sharing our backgrounds, and thoughts on community and connection. Sarah laid out a plan for future Friday Night
Feasts (does it seems more official with a name?!) where everyone will get a chance to
present a topic, movie, study, discussion, anything of a spiritual nature, before we cycle
around again.

Anyone who knows me will attest that some of my closest
friends are not at all like me spiritually.
I am proud to have diverse and unique acquaintances, who are a genuine
part of my life. That being said, it was
really nice to be able to share and bond with a group of people I’ve never met
before, but feel that we are truly a community.
We love the same God. We have
similar goals. And our lives are all
shaped by our understanding of His love and compassion for us
individually. It was casual and
meaningful and everything a first Friday Night Feast should be.

Challenge: If you
have students from out of town attending your church, or if you meet someone that is new to your
area, invite them over. We’re all really
the same family. And after a few
exchanges you may discover that the 6 degrees of Adventism is really only two
or three!

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