The Benefits of Sharing Life
by Susan E. Moody, local arrangements chair for our Annual Gathering
Recently I had the opportunity to travel to western Pennsylvania to visit places and people I hadn’t seen in almost ten years. I was a campus minister at Geneva College in the late 90s, where I had the opportunity to connect my life with students, staff, faculty, church friends and fellow campus ministers. I lived and worked and played with these people. I sang in the choir with them and prayed with them and studied the Bible with them. I rejoiced with them at weddings, birthday parties and baby showers, and I wept with them when cancer and car accidents took the lives of people we loved.
While catching up with these friends of yesteryear, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I was reminded of all God had taught me through my relationships with them. Though it took different forms, the love they showed me as we shared life together was a clear picture of the love God has for me. We lived out Proverbs 27:17, sharpening one another and holding each other accountable to living out the Gospel. We were blessed to know and love one another deeply.
Being with friends from my past gave me a renewed sense of anticipation for the 2015 CCCC Annual Gathering that will take place in July. This is a wonderful opportunity to live life together for a few days with sisters and brothers from around the CCCC. As we share meals and updates, as we learn and worship and play together, we connect our lives and have the chance to give and receive the blessing of experiencing the love of God in action. It is a valuable event, and worth the time and resources we sacrifice to come together.
Our Triune God, who is by very nature relationship in action, calls us as His followers to live in relationship with one another. Our CCCC Seven Guiding Values challenge us to be a people of shared life and shared mission. God wants us to live this out so that those around us can have the opportunity to see the love of God in action.
The Annual Gathering will be in Rochester, New York this year from July 20–23. The schedule will be filled with opportunities to learn from great speakers, attend valuable workshops, share meals, explore information at the exhibitor tables, and network with fellow CCCC folks from around the nation. Additionally, there will be childcare and teen programming provided for the children of attendees.
There are still a few days to take advantage of the special hotel room rates and the early-bird registration price, so why not register now? The dividends will far outweigh your investment!
It won’t be the same without you! Please come to Rochester and share life with us!
