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| The Value of a Room"When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying..." (Acts 1:13) Dear Friends: Many of the stories surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection describe the disciples meeting in a certain room. It was a room where they gathered to be together, to pray, to wait, and to find some semblance of safety. It was a room made sacred by their frequent use of it, and by the fact that sometimes Jesus himself met them there. At my house, we are engaged in a series of discussions regarding the delicate matter of a room; not just any room, but the room my elder daughter has occupied since she was four years old. As she prepares to depart for college, negotiations revolve around how much in the way of books, notebooks, clothes, and various "collections" may be safely left behind, as well as whether, by whom, and for what purpose the room might be used when she is no longer in it. Rooms are not just rooms. They can have great symbolic meaning, and awaken deep emotion among those who are attached to them. This is as true at a church as it is anywhere else. Over time, rooms become associated with certain purposes and become the center of belonging for certain groups. Tension can arise over the sharing of rooms, the cleaning of rooms, or the decorating of rooms. Long-used rooms become expressions of who we are, and inspire our loyalty and devotion. At PB UMC, the youth meet on the stage. The babies have a nursery. The children have a Sunday School room. The music and drama ministries have a room (a sort of storage room/work room/"waiting in the wings" room). Adult groups share use of various rooms for meetings, classes, and programs. The acupuncture clinic uses a specific room once each week, and the medical clinics likewise transform meeting rooms and classrooms for their purposes every Wednesday evening. Each group and committee has its traditions and habits, and some rooms contain the relics of groups that once met there but are no longer active. Beginning this month, room 205 is going to be used on Tuesday nights for Adult Bible Study. The teachers are assembling resources which will be used to enrich class time. They may also do some sorting and cleaning so that the room can best serve their purposes. Because room 205 is well suited to teaching, certain committees which meet regularly on Tuesday nights will be relocating to other spaces. As community groups also use our facility on Tuesday nights, options for church meetings will include room 202, the church entry area, and the pastor's office. It is exciting to make room for a new endeavor, and to anticipate how God will work among us through this new Bible study. I appreciate the leadership of Tom H., Julia G., Mark M., Elizabeth D., and Tim A/ in getting it started. I am equally grateful for the flexibility of church leadership and committee members, which allows new initiatives to emerge. May our rooms be as beneficially used as that "room upstairs" where Jesus' first disciples met! God's peace to all, Pastor April |
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