Celebration as a Spiritual Practice

As church-y people, we often talk about spiritual practices - what they are, how they can be meaningful to us as we journey through faith together, and how to engage them. The most commonly discussed practices are reading our Bibles, praying together or privately, engaging in acts of service, worshiping God together, and having quiet time for devotion. While all those practices are essential to life in faith, I’m often drawn to the lesser known or discussed practices. One of these is the spiritual practice of Celebration.

Christian Fellowship is beautiful. When we gather together as one, we do more than just “have a good time.” I think sometimes, people discredit fellowship as something the Church shouldn’t place an emphasis on. Sure, fellowship doesn’t always include the reading of scripture. Sometimes it doesn’t even include prayer. While this may be misguided or shallow for some, I find great depth when we gather to spend time with one another.

Fellowship is something I have often taken for granted, and this became apparent at the onset of the shut down, and lingering effects of boundaries set for safety in group gatherings. I have developed such a deeper understanding of the importance of fellowship, and am grateful for that reflection. Something beautiful and spiritual happens when we let go of the things that weigh us down and unclench our fists. When we open ourselves up for company, conversation, and companionship, we cre- ate space for vulnerability. We make the step to encourage one another, and allow others to encourage us. When we spent too much time alone, or in small isolate circles, it is easier to get bogged down with the weight of the world. When we engage with one another, we are open to the gift of joy, and the other surprises the Holy Spirit has to offer us. This is the bedrock for meaningful relationships, and builds trust amongst the community of people - many of whom come from different walks of life and are in different stages of the human experience.

Spending time these past few weeks gathered around tables in our gym for Wednesday Reconnect has been wind in my sails. I am encouraged by our gathering, and am so very grateful for the time spent together. While we still aren’t able to gather with some, it feels like hope. With all the troublesome things in this world, a little hope goes a long way.