Over President’s Day weekend, about twenty of our young adults packed their bags, loaded into vans, and made the two-hour trek outside the city to Graves Mountain Farm and Lodges. Graves Mountain is nestled in the small town of Syria, Virginia, and surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.
As anyone who has ever been on a retreat knows, weekends like these are more than just a getaway. Retreats have the potential to be a transformative experience that deeply impact how we live, move, and show up in everyday life. Retreats offer a unique opportunity to step away from the distractions of everyday life, build deeper friendships, gain perspective, and invest in spiritual growth.
From Saturday morning through Monday afternoon, our young adults spent time together in worship, small group discussion, coaching sessions, fellowship, rest, food, and play. We took a deep dive into four roles God’s people were called to live in the Old Testament: Prophet, Sage, Queen, and Priest. Our retreat speaker, Rich Havard, reminded us that when we live out these roles faithfully, we contribute to shalom – the Hebrew word that signifies wholeness, connection, peace, justice, and flourishing.
Examining these roles prompted us to ask the core question, “God, who are you calling me to be in this moment?” We answered this question throughout the weekend in small groups and in one-on-one sessions with April Robinson, a certified life coach who came alongside us for the weekend.
Both April and Rich invited us to listen to the voice of Howard Thurman, who famously said, “There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all ofyour life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls.”
It is difficult to hear that voice, especially now. The days before we left, and after we returned, were noisy and tumultuous. Many of our young adults find themselves directly or indirectly affected by changes to the federal work force. Some feel the effects of the loneliness epidemic plaguing our country and our city. Others are navigating challenging familial relationships. More than a few continue to shed remnants of faith that cloud the voice of God and the way of Jesus in the world.
When we returned home from the retreat, I found myself in the quiet space of my condo with that post-retreat depression settling in. Yet, I found myself silently offering thanks to God for these twenty and thirty-somethings in our midst. For their earnest desire to follow Jesus in the world. For their deep commitment to the church, local and global. For their many gifts which they hold with humility. For their unconditional love and hospitable welcome to all people. For their contagious laughter. And, for the hope that lives on in their resilient witness.
A friend of mine often says, “It’s impossible to have a thriving young adult ministry when you have a languishing church.” Her words have been in the back of my mind as I have reflected on our retreat. As much as I have celebrated this weekend away with young adults, I have celebrated our faith community at the corner of 16th and O. There, you and so many others are creating an authentic, warm, relational, and dynamic community. In that space, all of us – especially these young adults – are learning to live into our collective calling of building a loving and active community of faith shaped by the spirit of Christ.
With great hope.
