We are getting close to beginning our International Gathering, so, as you might imagine, this month has been full of preparations and planning. The logistical details have, at times, seemed endless, but I have also been very aware of how I prepare spiritually for the event.
It´s been 5 years since we last met in a Gathering like this (it´s usually every 4 years but Covid blar blar blar!) and it´s the time when we bring together representatives from all of our teams. It´s always a special time of fellowship together to worship (often simultaneously in multiple languages), celebrate, and plan.
This time it´s also in the middle of a significant consultation as we seek to listen deeply to our members and partners about who we are and what we do. So much has changed and is changing in the world, that we want to be very proactive in listening well and adapting to the new ways in which God is moving. As part of that we are pushing some doors of new ways into mission, and so this Gathering is a key time to share those things and to evaluate and plan together.
At the same time as deciding on what colour our name badges will be, or writing a risk assessment, this week I´ve also spent some time in prayer and fasting, seeking God´s spirit as I prepare myself for the event. There have been no great revelations (I wasn´t necessarily looking for any), but it has been important to make that physical sacrifice to focus on God, and the bigger picture, rather than getting drowned in all the details.
I feel really excited to see all that God has for us, as we meet together.
