BEREAN YOUNG ADULTS

retreat?

Some of you who check this know that we held a fall and spring retreat last year - it was a good time of connecting with one another and seeking a deeper connection with God.  We aiming at having another retreat in a couple of weeks - the weekend of Dec. 10-12.  I'm going to include some details below for those of you interested, let me know if you would like to join us!

• What - Young Adult Retreat
• Where - Camp Rivercrest in Fremont, NE
• Cost - $60, includes four meals and lodging
• When - Friday Dec. 10 @ 6 p.m. until Sunday Dec. 12 @ noon
• Purpose - Pursuing God and deeper community

If you would like more information or if you are interested in joining us please email me at rharmon@lincolnberean.org

i feel...community-ish.

Community.  It's a hot word these days. Community organizers. Community soup kitchens. Spiritual communities.  It's interesting to note that as our culture has become more technologically savvy we have also begun to focus more and more energy on the creation of community.  Seemingly, our ever-connected potential does not actually bring us any closer to a true other - and that's good. I can't imagine a more depressing day than the day I realize I can sum up my day/life/feeling/etc. in quippy characters or less. 

But the question that begs asking is what do we mean when we say community? I have found that for our generation it has become a Holy Grail of sorts - the type of thing that you search for forever but never really seem to find.  We are, as Lewis says, capable of being in a room filled with people and yet feeling as if we are alone.  

I've often thought that part of the reason that community seems to be the ever-sought but never found goal of our generation is that community is actually a by-product, it happens but shouldn't be sought in and of itself.  I've even begun blog entries on this very subject but I can never finish them because after typing for awhile I usually end up thinking that I'm wrong on that - and I think I am wrong.

I don't believe that community is a by-product - it is an actual good that can be sought - but if that's true, why does it remain so unattainable for so many?  I wonder whether it is because we have settled for an inadequate definition of community - I wonder whether some of us have begun to define community according to our feelings, we feel lonely or not lonely, connected or unconnected, etc.  Once we make this turn we have made community a feeling and have relegated it to the sphere of by-products, just like the rest of our feelings.

Feelings are by-products. For example, Will Smith's movie The Pursuit Of Happiness, should be named, How To Be Miserable because making happiness (a feeling) a pursuit will drive you insane.  Feelings are not to be sought in and of themselves - they make great servants and awful masters. 

Have we begun to define community
predominantly by how we feel?

I wonder sometimes whether we've made finding community too hard? Maybe that's because it's become defined by our feelings, but maybe it is also because we are seeking it as we would a feeling - we are just hoping we'll come upon it one day and realize we've found it without even knowing it. (Dear diary, today I woke up and felt community-ish). 

Unfortunately, community isn't that sort of thing. It doesn't just happen. Community is the sure result of deep commitment and investment in another person.  If you want it, it's right there for the taking - all you have to do is open your life to someone else and remain committed and invested in them.  In short, love others (seek their good) and community will suddenly be all around you.  The problem is that loving others - really investing in others even when they are particularly unlikeable - is not a journey for the fainthearted.  Maybe that's why community seems so elusive.

retreat: a reflection on community.

Back in October a group of us set out for Fremont, NE and a little place called Camp Rivercrest in order to have a weekend experience in Solitude.  Almost four months have passed since that moment and the time has come again for a retreat.

This time around our focus will be on COMMUNITY. We want to ask the questions: What is it? Why is it important? and How do we foster its growth? 

Our location will be the same - Camp Rivercrest in Fremont.  Here's the details:

What: Retreat on Community

When: February 26 - February 28

Where: Camp Rivercrest (about an hour away)

Cost: $50 - includes lodging and four meals

If you would like more info, please email me: rharmon@lincolnberean.org

do stuff. together.

So, I just cleaned up our Young Adult calendar because my event - Saturday Morning Game Days at Bread & Cup - has clearly become a thing of the past as sitting on the patio would be very unpleasant these days.  I also deleted the Farmer's Market get together, unless there is an unknown winter market that I've overlooked.  All that to say, the calendar is looking a bit sparse.  

Because of that, part of this post is an encouragement to you.  That's right, you...right there.  One of the things we're keenly aware of is that we all have different things we like to do.  Profound, huh?  So, the encouragement is to keep doing what you love to do but why not invite a few other people along for the ride?

Love watching college basketball? Let people know. I know that Drew loves heading to Granite City on Monday nights, join him. Are you a lover of fine food and like heading to one of Bread & Cups nicer meals on Friday or Saturday night? There might be some people that would be interested in coming along.  Heading out to see Avatar - let some people know about it.

It's just a thought...but I'm going to give it a try too.  That's right, the drastic failure that was my book club idea is starting once again.  Stay tuned.  Now, it's your turn.