By: Bethany, Community Engagement Coordinator
Something I was reminded of this summer was the importance of slowing down and connecting with others. As Community Engagement Coordinators, we hold many events, whether it is community barbeques or conversation clubs, there is always a lot to plan and execute to make sure things operate smoothly. Admittedly, whenever I am responsible for running an event I often get caught up in the chaos and running around making sure everything is in place. At the Hub Walk barbeque, I often got distracted by the little things like, “Is there enough mustard? Now is there too much mustard?” but amidst the chaos, there was a second where I saw Pastor Tim sitting down with a family and chatting with them. In that moment I was humbled and was able to take a step back from the logistics to sit down and talk to others at the event. Now, looking back at the Hub Walk, what I remember most isn’t that the day ran smoothly, but instead the meaningful conversations I had with people.
A similar situation arose during the Scott Mission Barbeque, an event where members of the community are invited to enjoy a barbeque, face painting, music and games for the whole family. As summer interns, our responsibility was to help the organizers in any way we could and I expected to help with behind-the-scenes tasks, ensuring that things ran smoothly. To my surprise, one of the organizers came and challenged us to go around and start conversations with people. Honestly, starting conversations with people can be difficult; it’s uncomfortable and awkward but I found that having those meaningful conversations and building relationships was worth it.
This reminded me of the story of Mary and Martha when Jesus visited their home (Luke 10: 38-42). While Martha got distracted by many tasks to ensure her guests were well taken care of, Mary, her sister, sat at the Lord’s feet and listened. I must admit, I am definitely a “Martha”, wanting to make sure that everything is planned and executed well to make for a “successful” event. However, as Deacon Brian Lim spoke about in his sermon, Mary understood the “one thing” that is needed, and for me, that meant taking a step back from the busyness so that I could connect with others.
This summer, I realized that it is very easy to get distracted by making sure that we dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. More importantly, I learned that we don’t host events for the sake of hosting an event; rather we host events so that we can connect with others and allow people to be a part of a community much bigger than themselves.