Quest Cafe - September 28th gathering...

On September 28, during our weekly gathering, Ed asked the question, “What does it mean to belong?” Then we broke up into groups and discussed this question. Someone from each group was responsible to text answers to this question that arose from that discussion. Here’s what we got…

Doug

Merriam Webster 2b : to be attached or bound by birth, allegiance, or dependency -- usually used with to <they belong to their homeland>

Brandon

Everyone on the same playing field.

Loving people, even if it’s hard.

Not being alone.

Like family. Being accepted despite your faults.

It’s overused. Sort of lost its true meaning.

Contributing to the greater cause.

Finding answers as a group. Not being judged when you don't know the answer.

Club - pay a fee and get benefits.

Collective input.

Every individual has different specific talents, attributes, skills... But all are needed in the "Body"

All are needed to make up the Body.

All parts work together to be ONE.

You belong if you’re acknowledged.

Ed

There is a natural chemistry that draws people together.

Good to be a piece of the puzzle.

You don't want to be identified by what you do.

We matter more in small groups.

Sometimes it is good to be identified with a group. Sometimes not.

Jim

Feeling like I belong is a personal relationship that I have with our Lord and our Church.

The best way to improve that feeling is to be a part of that belonging for me is get involved in our Church.

Katie

For teams, they pick you. With Quest, you choose. Quest doesn't pick and choose.

We all choose to also belong to the body of Christ.

You can just come and sit, but you need to work at it and be involved to belong.

At Quest you feel compelled to participate. It comes naturally.

No matter how you feel or how your day is going, if you belong to the body of Christ, you can always feel better.

Sarah

To be responsible for and accountable to and for.

To be selected by, to have something in common, to make an investment in.

To be owned by something, at least partly.

What an interesting variety of ideas and understandings of such a simple concept as belonging. Some very church-specific, some not. But all very interesting. Go Quest!

To my dad, on his 76th birthday.

Was thinking about this the other day. When I was logging in to a new online bank account, I was asked the following security question: "Best Childhood Friend?" And while most people who knew me back then would probably think they knew the answer to that question, I realized they probably didn't, because - and I just realized it right then - even though I had several good friends back then, my best friend was really my dad. 

I can't remember him EVER saying, "No," when I asked if he wanted to go play tennis or golf, and most of the time, if he was going, he would ask me to go. For as long as I was in scouts, he was there, and for awhile, he was our scoutmaster (I know, Mom, that you were there more in cub scouts). When he had some new computer program or some new crazy invention that he was busting to tell someone about, he came to me. We would spend hours listening to people talk about how to build a better airplane every summer (I was usually the youngest person there, and I didn't really care all that much, just liked being there with my dad), and he taught me how to do about 1,000 random things, most of which I remember to this day. 

So, yeah, until I met my wife and had my kids, my dad was my very best friend. He's still up there somewhere, friend-wise, but life and work have put distance between us. Things change and life intervenes, but I just want you to know, Dad, that all of that mattered. Because you so valued me during those early years, I have always had a pretty healthy self-image, and I only hope I was half the father and half the friend to my kids that you were to me. I love you. Happy Birthday.