Renewal In Christ Ministries: Pennsylvania Reflections

God's power and great glory -
A reflection on RICM's Renewal Weekend in June 2004      By James Giles

    Two weeks of seminary finals, immediately followed by CPE (clinical pastoral education) and devastatingly intertwined within this time was the decline and death of my father-in-law. This gives some insight into the mental state in which my wife and I obediently showed up at the doors of Gilmary to participate in RICM's "Clouds & Glory". God would have his hands full for this retreat. To top it off, we had been recently crushed and angered by a judgmental word from a brother in Christ. I sympathized with Judith, trying to greet us cheerfully for there was no joy or happiness within us to cordially reciprocate the response; we just didn't have the strength or desire. To her credit, she quickly surmised our hurt and allowed us to own it, life is just hard at times and that's okay. Too hurt and defeated to resist, we surrendered our lives into the hands of the living and loving God as Father Gary led us into Abba's outstretched arms. The RICM group became the family to minister the love and support we so desperately needed, for they ministered out of their own pain and suffering. We, in turn, were used by God to heal hurt in our brothers and sisters in Christ.
    A large portion of this weekend was spent intimately worshipping and glorifying God through the Holy Spirit. I don't believe I've ever spent so much preciously selfish time in the presence of God. One of the most memorable blessings through this was when my wife and I experienced holy laughter, a shock for two such uptight people. It was wonderful! It came and went quickly but came on us again upon retiring to our room later that evening. We spent at least an hour just belly laughing, tears uncontrollably streaming down our faces as God's immeasurable joy and happiness permeated our whole being. Finally begging "uncle", God allowed us to stop, fearing we were keeping our neighbors up with our uncontrollable laughter or better yet, wondering if they thought we had lost what little bit of sanity we had. As Christ's own, we have a responsibility to actively seek relationship with our God and Savior. Matthew 13:44 states, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." In reflection to this Scripture, Brennan Manning, author of "Abba's Child" would defend, "It is one thing to discover the treasure [of the kingdom of heaven] and quite another to claim it as one's own through ruthless determination and tenacious effort". We have a responsibility to actively seek relationship with our God and Savior. I can get so wrapped up in the daily doings this world require, that it is so easy for me to forget what a treasure we have inherited in being God's children. These retreats help me to place my world back into right perspective, that is, my relationship with my God and Savior but it requires my effort to initiate.
    With that said, this weekend was a mile stone in my desire to deepen my relationship with our Lord. I've been participating in a clinical pastoral education (CPE). One of its challenges is to discover where my call to ordained ministry came. Until the recent retreat, the sprouting of this call had alluded me. God in his mercy, through the ministry of brothers and sisters in Christ, broke through an early developed emotional barrier that limited my drawing closer to Him. I was able to find forgiveness for those that had participated in the building of that wall and then to recapture the love affair with God that extended back through my early childhood. The seed of my call. What a renewed freedom to be as bold as the disciple that Jesus loved and have the daring to lay against his breast without fear of rejection or judgment. I would invite everyone to be as bold to draw closer to the one who is the lover of our souls. At the risk of being labeled RICM junkies, my wife and I hope to continue participating in these retreats as a vital piece of our spiritual discipline and in validation of our own determination to continually unearth the treasure of being drawn into relationship with such a loving and caring God we serve.

March 2004
The Limitless Love of God    by Maggie Smith

    Expect the unexpected! When I think about the weekend at Gilmary Retreat Center it still amazes me that when we take the time to remove ourselves from the busyness of day to day life, God steps in to show us in a thousand ways, His limitless love for us. Actually, He is always doing that, but so often we don't notice!
    The weekend was a cocoon, a bubble where we could soak in God's word, God's healing, God's forgiveness, God's mercy and grace. People from all walks of life, ages and experiences were knitted together throughout the weekend to form connections. Connections that would bring healing, connections that would bring hope, joy and ultimately the peace that surpasses all understanding when we surrender ourselves to the Lord.
    Still, a month later I cannot get the song out of my head that two women wrote during the weekend. "Jesus, You're The Balm"...a lilting, soothing praise of all the help God gives us that is ours for the taking! I remember the two seminarians who treated us to their bongo drumming talents during many of the praise and worship songs. They were wonderful! We had our own version of "Saturday Night Live" when we were front and center for an interview with the infamous and invincible Noah! Yes, the same one from the ark! It was, in a word, hysterical!! The talk we heard on the factors that keep us from being free to accept the love of Christ and what blocks our relationship truly touched many people, as our eyes were opened to self-defeating attitudes of fear, rejection, failure, and self condemnation.
    As always, God has a way of bringing people together who share a story or experience that is just exactly what someone else needs in order to further their own journey with Christ. We are reminded that we do not hurt alone, suffer alone, grieve alone, or, in the end, triumph alone. Our sorrows are halved, and our joys are doubled when we surrender to the knitting of connections that God has offered to us!
    The weekend was a blessed gift of music, inspiration, laughter, healing and most of all, a continual outpouring of God's
limitless love!

Maggie

He Turns Mourning Into Dancing    by Sharon Stockdale

    When I arrived at the Gilmary Center, I was given an index card to write my prayer request for the weekend on. Someone said, "Ask for something big, God is a big God!" After a moment¹s reflection, I thought, "Well, what I really want is to know my Heavenly Father better!"
    The worship time Friday was a sweet, rich time ushering us into God's presence and peace. The talk planned for that evening was moved to the next day. Fr. Gary told us to ask God what we needed to repent of - a new idea for me since normally I just examine my own heart during confession. But as soon as I asked God I immediately knew what I really needed to repent of. I also started to get more in touch with my Heavenly Father's love.
    Throughout the weekend we heard talks on faith as trusting acceptance, as faithful obedience, and faith to believe for miracles, followed with opportunities to respond to what we had heard or to receive prayer. Ministry times were anointed and hearts were set free. Table groups helped us share the love of Christ, pray for each other, and see the Lord at work in each other's lives.
    The weekend started off quiet and peaceful, but it didn't stay that way. On Saturday evening the big group was supposed to gather five minutes after Chet rang the bell. Maybe six people came, so he rang the bell again. No response. So then Fr. Gary said, "What we ought to do is start acting like something wonderful is happening, so they'll want to come!" It started out as a joke, but very quickly we all realized that God REALLY IS wonderful and then we couldn't shut up about it! Praise the Lord who is kind, merciful, glorious, full of love, sovereign, majestic, holy, trustworthy, wise, powerful, gentle, patient, the Good Shepherd, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, a righteous God and a Savior! Glory to his Name! Hallelujah! Give him honor and thanks! There is no one like God! Sing of his love! Rejoice in him!
    Later that evening the thought crossed my mind, "Maybe I should get up and dance", but then I thought "There's no way I'm going to dance!" and I dismissed the idea. You guessed it, when I got back to my room, I opened my Bible right to Ps. 30:11-12 "You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever."
    I shared those verses with my small group on Sunday, and then in the worship time the first four songs Ron played all had some reference to dancing, so a whole bunch of us got up. It really is good to rejoice in the Lord!
    On Saturday we heard a testimony from a woman who has gone through devastating circumstances in the last year, upheld
by the Lord in amazing ways. In the midst of grief and pain, she has experienced the faithfulness of God. She radiated the love of God and her face glowed with a peace that has no explanation besides the Lord. The joy of the Lord is indeed our strength!
    I want to thank everyone who prayed for us, ministered to us, encouraged us in the Lord, or interceded for the weekend from a distance. We tasted the goodness of God. Praise his Name!