Last night, I found myself gathered around a table with ten other men and women in their 20’s and 30’s planning our upcoming Charis Retreat at the University of Georgia.  While there were several items on our agenda that we had to take care of, we kept finding ourselves in fits of laughter or on a side-topic that somehow related to the work we were doing, which in its own way improved the retreat we were planning.  The energy that was around the table last night was contagious!  We were laughing, listening to two of our groups talks, sharing our lives with each other, and preparing to minister to others in two weeks.

Last night, though, was a ministry in itself.  A much needed ministry- the ministry that feeds us as ministers!  While all of us gathered around the table last night are involved in ministry in many forms, we, too, need to be fed.  The community we have formed these past six weeks revitalizes us, energizes us, and supports us.  The random outbursts of laughter and discussion reinforce the work we are doing.   

No matter what we do in life, we need moments like last night–moments that feed us, renew us, and energize us.  We need moments, as humans, to gather with our circles of support, which come in so many shapes and sizes, and to feed our spirits.  This is what community is all about!

Where do we find our circles of support?
Do we realize the importance and value of gathering with them?
Do we need time with one of our circles of support right now?

Becky Eldredge

Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.