Wait, how do I know this? Why was I out and about?
I thought you'd never ask...
But seriously...tonight my parish hosted a dinner and discussion for all parishioners who participated in the Strengths for the Journey small group discussions during Lent. As it turns out, there were over 250 people who did this (not all of whom were at dinner), which speaks a lot about the parish and the initiative of its leadership.
The structure of the evening?
Food first, I always say - good rule, right? And they were smart to abide by it. There was quite a spread, especially of desserts, as everyone was asked to bring a favorite to share. Mmm...
Dinner was followed by a series of short personal accounts of three people's journeys through the Strengths process and then a brief talk by our pastor, Fr. Ken (who was enlightening, as per usual).
And then it was time for discussion - for which there never seems to be enough time - but it was fruitful, fun, and insightful. I met some new people and reconnected with some individuals who had been in my group.
One of my take-aways (of which I had a few but I won't elaborate at length here) from the evening was the idea of finding a sense of belonging through our strengths. As a group, we came to the conclusion that belonging to something or a group is not a passive process but an active one. You have to make an effort to belong - go to events, get involved, volunteer, meet new people. You have to put yourself out there to truly get that sense of being "home," and I think Strengthfinders (and the retreat I went on with YAC in February) provided such opportunities for me. It's such a tremendous feeling (and one that I've missed since leaving my home parish in Florida) to attend Mass and make connections - talk to people I know, share in discussions about faith, know about people in the parish and what they're up to.
And I am so grateful.
I pray that from this experience that I continue to deepen my involvement in the parish community and that I continue to truly feel that sense of belonging, friendship, spirit, and home.
I just have to remember (and I urge you to as well) - it's not a passive process.
It's up to me. Right. Now.
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| Our strengths were even listed on our name tags... |
The structure of the evening?
Food first, I always say - good rule, right? And they were smart to abide by it. There was quite a spread, especially of desserts, as everyone was asked to bring a favorite to share. Mmm...
Dinner was followed by a series of short personal accounts of three people's journeys through the Strengths process and then a brief talk by our pastor, Fr. Ken (who was enlightening, as per usual).
And then it was time for discussion - for which there never seems to be enough time - but it was fruitful, fun, and insightful. I met some new people and reconnected with some individuals who had been in my group.
One of my take-aways (of which I had a few but I won't elaborate at length here) from the evening was the idea of finding a sense of belonging through our strengths. As a group, we came to the conclusion that belonging to something or a group is not a passive process but an active one. You have to make an effort to belong - go to events, get involved, volunteer, meet new people. You have to put yourself out there to truly get that sense of being "home," and I think Strengthfinders (and the retreat I went on with YAC in February) provided such opportunities for me. It's such a tremendous feeling (and one that I've missed since leaving my home parish in Florida) to attend Mass and make connections - talk to people I know, share in discussions about faith, know about people in the parish and what they're up to.
And I am so grateful.
I pray that from this experience that I continue to deepen my involvement in the parish community and that I continue to truly feel that sense of belonging, friendship, spirit, and home.
I just have to remember (and I urge you to as well) - it's not a passive process.
It's up to me. Right. Now.
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