SPIRITUAL RETREAT!!

Jerry Boden strumming for Jesus!

Worship! Both expressive and reverent!!

What a great day we had as a church body at Camp Horizon this past weekend. God blessed us with His presence as we sang, prayed, studied, discussed, ate, and had fellowship together. What a blessing! It is always a joy to get together with other believers and just take some time to be in God's presence. Our time together wasn't about church business, committee meetings, structure, politics, or polity. No, it was a time to grow in our intimacy with God. In fact, that was the theme for the day.

Thank you to the 36 folks who took time out your busy schedule to come and spend some time with the Lord and with His body of believers. God truly honored that time and based upon the response, you were "renewed", "blessed", and "challenged" to grow in your faith. Many of you mentioned how you had slipped in your spending "quiet time" with the Lord and how this retreat encouraged and energized you to be disciplined in that area of your walk with the Lord. I echo that.

For those of you who were able to attend, I pray that you will continue to be intentional in your desire to draw closer to God. For those of you who were unable to attend, I pray the same for you, that you will "draw near to God, for He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

Have a great week!!

PR

REFLECTIONS - rEfLECtioNs

As you can see, various groups gathered at tables to read and study scriptures that dealt with visioning and the role of the Spirit in that visioning (Ezekiel 37, Acts 2, and others).

It was a great day at Camp Horizon this past Saturday. Our first (dare I say "annual") spiritual retreat to seek God's face, worship, pray, study, laugh, and have just a wonderful time together. Thanks to all of you who gave up your Saturday to participate. It is very much appreciated! We gathered together, not to plan, but to enter into God's presence and we were not disappointed.

A few reflections as it relates to the day:

• If nothing else, God united us as a group of members of the MUMC who may have never otherwise gathered to discern God's will for our lives. Persons who attend all 3 services were represented, all age groups were represented, and all hearts gathered together as one to worship our Lord. What a blessing!
• There is an intentional desire to grow spiritually as a church.
• There is a desire to worship God. It was evident. Thanks Lorna for leading us in prayer and thanks Jerry for assisting on the guitar - awesome!
• I was thrilled to see the small groups where each person prayed. That's where the power is. (Even if it gets you out of your comfort zone).
• The Holy Spirit was present.
• There is an openness to new things. But as Mary reminded us, how willing are we to do what God is asking us to do? How obedient will we be?

Let us covenant to pray that God will clarify the vision He is placing before us as a church. And let us pray that we will be willing and obedient to that vision.