“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?”
This quote from C.S. Lewis would fit us to a T if only “good fire” were replaced with “relaxing pool." We’ve just concluded our Mother’s Day Weekend and our annual opportunity to “Take Mama Away for Mother’s Day.” Over the years the locations have changed - from Rocky Point, Mexico to Tucson for three years, then Ahwatukee, and this year we stayed right in our own backyard at Desert Ridge. Our worship leaders for this weekend have changed with time - our time together has been led by Mac Schafer and Kristin Willett, then Kristin Willet and Sarah Johnson, and this year, Frank Harmon and Kelsy Brown. Without a doubt, some of the participants have changed, too…but the one constant that has remained is the sense of community that is cultivated when people gather and can really spend time together.
Our PPC community was evident throughout the weekend. It was wonderful to see families interacting in different groupings, enjoying each other’s company. They shared in laughter and joy, watched children spend hours in the pool together, regardless of age. They saw the train of lazy river inner tubes snaking its way around the lazy river with so many of the PPC children and youth. There were kids flying through the air, with dads taking on the role of “human cannons” to our younger, lighter “cannonballs!” As for the parents, I heard time and time again that it was so nice to have complete conversations, finish our sentences, knowing that children were engaged with each other, in a safe and child friendly space that allowed families to come and go as needed. Conversations flowed…all the while continuing to strengthen our community.
The friendships that are forged and rekindled, the faces that we don’t always get to see in church, serve our membership in so many ways. We reconnect at church, and know that there is someone at PPC who knows us - who has seen our family in action - and in bathing suits, no less. There is comfort in being known, recognized, and genuinely liked by others in our church….similar to the old Cheers song, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.”
Some might say that a weekend at a resort isn’t really the work of the church, but I disagree….I think it’s a wonderful enhancement of the time we spend together on our campus, and a wonderful way to expand and grow our church family and community.
