Standing in the sanctuary of Gulfhaven Mennonite Church in the late afternoon on October 3, one would not even know that there were hundreds of people flooding through the doors of the same church only hours before. The chairs were already set up for the next morning’s worship service. The floor was vacuumed & the tables were put away. The only traces of the event that was just held were the people who still remained working to put final details in order. We all looked (and felt) exhausted.
Even so, there was still an undeniable sense of joy in the air throughout the clean-up process. A joy and fulfillment coming only from a sense of community where many people work together for the common goal. It makes me think of 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul is talking about unity and diversity in the body of Christ. Each person has a gift and role to play and each person is essential to the function of the body. At Camp Sale, there are many different roles in organization, children’s activities, cashiers, cooks, and more. Without the different gifts being put to use, there would be chaos. But on this day, we had witnessed the body working together in a remarkable way, exactly how God had planned.
As the cleaning finished that evening, the sense of knowing that the money raised at Camp Sale will further camp’s mission of reconciliation was extremely fulfilling. It was evidenced by the people who prayed for this event, by the people in attendance and by the countless others who spend all year crafting & quilting to sell for the benefit of reconciling people to Christ. So today, I’m thankful for a this community; for a healthy body who surrounds PLFC in prayer and support, who breaks bread (or shares gumbo, or jambalaya, or egg rolls- yum!), who cleans together, and who serves God with all their mind, soul, body & strength.
Matt Graybill is the Executive Director of Pine Lake Fellowship Camp. He is a husband, father, and follower of Christ. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and being outdoors.
