Spirit's Pavilion 4

The students from the Bible Church on Signal had experienced a lot of loss, a lot of change, a lot of waiting, a lot of internal wondering, a lot of pandemic reality. A student's heart is unique. So much is happening internally and externally, daily. When they arrived at continuing something again that had been a normal for them in the past, it was quietly hopeful. Gathering together at place 37,219 was a way of pushing back uncertainty right in the midst of uncertainty. They were trying to live on in it.

It was wonderful just like they imagined. Night one brought bright, vibrant, masked faces to place 37,219. Such a sweet gift to hear their muffled voices, listen to them laugh while they played, open God's words with them again and watch some dance with a seeming pure joy as the night ended and folks trailed out of the Pavilion with a gladness of getting to be together. And this was the simple, enjoyable pattern for a month of weeks as they began again.....

until.....

There was a slight chill in the air. Daylight was shortening. Propane heaters were being readied for when the Pavilion felt winter. But on this night, the cool was enough to pull on long sleeves and watch the late sun dance golden on the trees. It was that feeling of fall that the wet heat of summer makes you long for. There was a simple joy present throughout the 90 minutes of time together. Games were played. Healthy silliness in games with plastic cups and healthy competitions. Adult friends laughing with student friends. Watching the generations living some humble moments together was so healing, so healthy. Guitar strings were strummed. Masked mouths pushed praise words outward. "Praise is the highway". And then adult friends invited their student friends to grab their camp chairs and head to different spots that have quickly become "their spots" each time they gathered. There they circled up in their smaller groups to slow and talk about life, wander rabbit trail stories, and touch the pages and pixels of the words of God with one another.

Those are really tender moments. Adult friends slowing to regard the hearts and lives of the next generation. There is power there. There is sacrifice there. A sacrifice in the slowness of how long it takes for hearts to be formed. All our days. Older and younger. A sacrifice of letting words appear on the other side of the mask, pandemic or not, where they can't be masked anymore. Vulnerable courage. All our days. Older and younger. Watching it happen day by day, year by year, is such a deep honor.

A loud whistle was heard. It's the call around the wooded campus for everyone to come back to the Pavilion to "link up" and pray before we disperse into the new week. Folks trickled from "their spots" just like they have every gathering back. All circled in the pavilion. Another quiet, lovely evening of time spent together about to close. Folks were talking. Some were laughing. Adults and students learning about community together. As their shepherd made the all call for everyone to link up, their sign of unity together, the circle grew quiet for the closing words.

In the quieting, an unusual sound was heard.

One of the young men was standing in the circle, weeping audibly.

There's more.